The Fabulous Hudson Hornet (One-shots)
by ArtsyAviator
Summary: Cars human AU! These one-shots are a set of flashbacks from Doc Hudson's racing career, life after his career, and discovery of Radiator Springs. Dive into these chronologically-ordered one shots and visit some of the most crucial parts of Doc's life as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Meet characters from his past, as well as some familiar faces when Doc comes into Radiator Springs!
1. Rookie Sensation

**1 - Rookie Sensation**

HUDSON HORNET

CHAMPION

1951

The young rookie held the shining gold cup high in the air, as the crowd cheered. They had never seen anything like this. They had never seen such a fast racer. They had never seen a rookie come in and sweep the competition as fast as Hudson and his race car had. The rookie hopped down from the pedestal, trophy in hand, as his trainer and mentor, Smokey, wrapped an arm around him, playfully shaking him around. "Congrats kid!" Smokey exclaimed, as he led the charming young racer away from the crowds and back to the pits.

"Nice job today, Hudson. This first season has been amazing, and you're doing great. Now, you keep it up and I reckon you'll win the next season too."

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your training!" Hudson gave Smokey a playful push, but Smokey stopped him and turned the young man to face him. The mentor took off Hudson's goggles, and unclipped his helmet, pulling it off.

Hudson thanked him and unbuttoned his collar on his racing jacket and then ran a hand through his dark, sweaty hair. "You're right, Smokey, today was a great race. And a good end to the season, I must say," he held up the piston-shaped trophy cup again. Smokey took a good look at the trophy and its engraving, then set it down next to Hudson's gear.

"You did good, kid. Don't go around being a show-off now. You-"

Hudson interrupted, "-you better be humble, be thankful, yadda-yadda I know all that."

"I'm serious kid, you gotta watch yourself around the press. They'll get ahold of anything you say and make a big deal out of it. I know you're new to this, but you gotta watch out," Smokey warned.

"Alright," Hudson said softly. He elbowed Smokey. "I'll watch it, old man."

"I'm only ten years older than you, Hudson," Smokey replied, in a corrective tone.

The race was over now, and the pit crew rolled the shiny blue Hudson Hornet into the temporary garage-tent. Its blue paint was dusted lightly in the red-brown dirt from the racetrack. Hudson loved that sight. Sure, the clean, blue Hornet was a beautiful sight, but seeing coated in the fine dirt, where it belonged, was even more spectacular. It looked strong, and resilient, which made Hudson even more confident that he would win every single race in the years to come.

"There she is!" Yelled a voice from behind the mentor and racer as the car was rolled into the garage. It was Glenn, Hudson's manager. He gave the car a pat on the roof and then turned to face Hudson and Smokey. "There he is, my winner," he said, shaking Hudson's hand firmly. "Congratulations, kid, I knew you had it in ya'," he said in a confident manner.

Hudson politely thanked him and nodded his head towards the trophy, gesturing to his new prize. "Got you a little somethin' to make you happy," Hudson joked to his manager. The man laughed, putting a hand on Hudson's shoulder.

"We're gonna make you big, kid, how does that sound? Your name will be known all over the country. You're gonna be famous, and the fastest racer around, you wait and see. Sound like a plan?" He asked. Glenn was the type of man who got down to business. He did not waste time talking about things that did not matter. Hudson liked that about him. Hudson just smiled and nodded.

"Yes, sir. As long as you call me... The Fabulous Hudson Hornet," he said in a sneaky tone. Glenn just smiled, ran a hand through his slicked and gelled hair, chuckling deeply

"You better keep this up, kiddo, I can see it now. You're going to be something big, I'll tell you that."


	2. Lou

**2 - Lou**

The young man headed out to the racer's lounge for the rest of the night. All eyes turned on the young rookie as he stepped into the area. Hudson was starting to get noticed, especially after his win that day. He slicked his dark brown hair back as his piercing blue eyes scanned the room. His new friends, Junior, and River were sitting on a couch in the corner. Junior flagged down Hudson, and the young man sat across from them on the couch.

"Nice win today, Hud," River said, taking a swig of his drink.

"Yeah kid, you pulled some gutsy moves out there today, but they paid off," he paused, "heck, you better show me how to do some of that drifting."

"Someday I'll show you. Once I retire," Hudson flashed a smirk as he was brought a drink. Junior and River laughed out loud. Smokey came in and sat at the bar, watching Hudson from a distance. As great as it was that he won the Piston Cup, Smokey worried about Hudson. He didn't know how he would handle the fame, the money, and the attention. He was going to keep an eye on Hudson. At least he had friends to talk to and spend time with.

The men talked with each other, about the race, about life, about ladies and cars. Hudson liked to talk, but he also liked to listen to what his friends had to say. He had been raised in a family that valued respectfulness and politeness. He tried his best to remember everything his Mama had taught him. He listened, with intent and curious blue eyes, ignoring the many eyes that were constantly on him wherever he went. He had to come to terms with himself that he was likely going to be famous pretty soon. He didn't know how he was going to handle it.

Junior looked left and right, then looked back to Hudson. "Hey Hud," he smirked, pointing across the room to a particular figure, dressed in a pink and creme racing suit. "That's the new _laaaady_ racer," he cooed. "Rumor has it, she stole her number."

"Number 94?" River questioned. "You got that right," replied Junior. Hudson smirked a tad, taking a sip of his drink. "What about her? She lost?" He asked, tapping a finger against his glass.

"No, she's not lost, but you better watch 'er, she was on your tail the whole time."

"I know she was. It doesn't matter. I'm the one who won the race."

"True, but in the future…"

"I know, Junior."

"Why don't you ask her over here?" River asked.

"Me?" Snapped Hudson, pointing to himself, swallowing his drink. "Now, why in the heavens above would I do that?"

"Because it's polite," Junior chimed in.

"I don't care what it is," Hudson snapped, "this ain't no place for lady racers, fact, I've never seen one before. If the press sees me with a lady racer it's gonna be all over the papers and my rep' will be ruined."

It wasn't even a few minutes later before the young woman made her way over to the corner that the three young men were sitting in. She wasn't shy. She knew they had been snickering and talking about her. She stood in front of the new rookie racer.

"You must be Hudson?" She asked. "I watched the rear end of your car all day long. Good win to finish off the season," she said, shaking his hand.

"Thank you," he replied kindly.

She shook the hands of the other two men and introduced herself. "Louise Nash," she said kindly. "But you can call me Lou."


	3. The Fabulous Hudson Hornet

**3 - The Fabulous Hudson Hornet**

Over the next few weeks, word spread about the rookie's win, and the daily papers filled with pictures of the young, nineteen-year-old racer and his shiny blue Hornet. The first day, pictures of the charming young man holding a Piston Cup took the front cover. A few days later, brand new images released from the races, flooding magazines and articles. The racer possessed a daring confidence that had never been seen before in racing history. The young man was bold, daring, and always trying new things. Every race shocked fans from around the country. He was everywhere, whether it was his interviews, biographies, or his advertisements. Some papers had described him as "brash" and "cocky," while others had used "fabulous" and "marvelous." Hudson liked it all and thrived off the attention and popularity. He was calling himself The Fabulous Hudson Hornet, and it was only a few weeks later that the news reached the papers.

Smokey worked hard to train Hudson. They worked day and night, on sand, dirt, and gravel. Hudson was determined. He was persistent. He wasn't the type to give up. He still had a lot left in him. He was going to show them what he could do.

First, he was a champion in '51. Again, in '52, the shiny blue car with a daring, handsome racer cleaned up the competition with the most wins in a single season: twenty-seven.

A third season rolled around and The Fabulous Hudson Hornet claimed his third Piston Cup, taking it away for the year of '53. The media could not keep up with the hasty racer. He was here, he was there, he was all over the country. He raced day and night, on hundreds of tracks across the United States. Fans came from everywhere to watch him race. They especially loved coming to watch him race in his hometown, Thomasville, Georgia. There were races every weekend at Thomasville Speedway. Fans came to smell the burning rubber, and see the dirt kicking up as the racers drifted turns around the corner, cars just inches apart from each other. It was a thrill and an experience that nobody would ever forget. The bold racer appeared on television, the radio, the news, the papers, books, and anything they could put his car on. The rookie was off to a speedy start in his career, within a matter of months. Nothing could stop him; not even the rookies, who dared to make an attempt to race or pass Hudson. Fans marveled at the sight of the Hornet's famed maneuvers and moves across the track to pass the rookies. This was real racing, and the fans were loving it.

Hudson especially loved racing with his friends. Some races, it was neck and neck with Junior; or Lou, biting at his heels. Hud didn't slow down to let them take a season's win. He fought hard, trained hard, and did everything he could to succeed.

"I'm telling you Hud, you've come a long way now," Smokey said, a hand around Hudson as they walked along the quiet track, as the fans departed after a long day of racing.

"Three Piston Cups, to be exact," Hudson corrected, feeling a sense of pride when he mentioned his three prized possessions.

"That's for sure," Smokey said softly, "I'm glad you've been so responsible and respectful when it comes to your winnings," he said. "You're taking good care of yourself."

"See? I knew I wouldn't go off the deep end, and you told me to be careful."

"And I'm glad I told you to be careful, Hud. Now, let's head back to the racer's lounge. I'm sure your friends are going to want to hear about the race today."

Hudson smiled and nodded. "Alright Smokey, I'll do that. Thank you," he said kindly, following after his mentor.


	4. Crash

**4 - Crash**

The season in '54 had been off to a great start and Hudson was still as fast as ever. He hadn't let his guard down and had been working hard to win every race he could. Of course, he didn't win every single one, but he had come quite close.

Today, Hudson was excited. The season was coming to a close, and Hudson only had one more race in the Piston Cup Championship. The race was only a half an hour away, but Hudson didn't feel too nervous. He was ready. He zipped up his dark blue racing suit, still dusty-brown from the last race back at Thomasville. He walked around the pits, looking for his misplaced racing gloves in the pits. He was running out of time and trying to get all his things together as quickly as he could. As he searched along the floor, he bumped into someone. Hudson slowly looked up. It was Smokey, holding the gloves in his hand, with a warm smile on his face.

"You better pull yourself together and get ready for today," he warned, but in a lighthearted way. Hudson took the gloves and thanked him kindly, sliding them onto his hands.

"I'm ready, I promise you, I've never been more ready for this." He gave Smokey a shove and then turned to find his cap and helmet to go over it.

As Hudson grabbed the rest of his gear, Louise, River, and Junior came in. The group of friends had started the tradition of wishing each other luck before the races. They had grown to know each other quite well over the years they had been racing together.

"Stay safe out there, you guys," Hudson said, shaking hands with the boys, and embracing Lou kindly.

"We always do," Junior said. River nodded in agreement.

Lou came over and buckled Hudson's helmet. "Don't get too ambitious," she joked, knowing he would probably pull some crazy stunts again like he always did.

"I'll play it safe," he reminded Lou, flashing her a warm and reassuring smile.

Louise huffed and straightened her jacket. "Good." She pecked his cheek with a quick kiss through the open-faced helmet and then ran off to catch up with Junior and River.

"Good luck!" The group yelled at each other as they scattered out to get in their cars. Smokey pulled Hudson in for a quick side-hug, but Hudson quickly pulled away and headed out to his car, as the pit crew called him. Smokey sighed and put his hands on his hips. He couldn't help but feel proud as he watched Hudson get into his car.

They helped the young racer into the shiny blue Hornet. The car looked just as ready as Hudson did. Its stance was low and fierce, and its shape was smooth and streamlined. It looked as if it was ready to charge out of the pits at any moment. The crew had recently repainted the outside, making the white and yellow letters seemed brighter and more powerful than ever before.

Young Hudson crawled through the window and plopped into the cabin, getting settled in his seat. No, he did not have a seatbelt. None of the racers did. It didn't seem necessary. He looked in front of him. Junior slid into his car and gave his pit crew a thumbs up. They smiled at Junior and stepped back as the racer drove out of the pits. Hudson turned the key and the Hornet's engine sputtered and gurgled to life. The deep rumble shook the ground below it. Anyone standing near the car could feel the rumble in their chest. It was powerful and wonderful. Hudson slowly stepped on the pedal and followed behind him, followed by Lou, River, and the other racers. They prepared themselves by getting into position, engines revving, gurgling, and popping with excitement. This was it. It was time. The anticipation built with every second.

The few moments before the flag seemed like forever to the racers. It seemed like centuries to Hudson. He revved the engine, feeling its power as it rumbled and vibrated his gauges and steering wheel. Finally, a young man raised his hand in the air, waving the bright green flag back and forth. With that, the racers were off. Sand blew everywhere as the tires spun violently, trying to catch their grip and get up to a racing speed. A sudden blast of engine sounds blew down the raceway as all the cars darted off at once. Hudson took the beginning cautiously and anticipated every turn and corner carefully. A few racers passed him. He sat in the middle of the pack. He had a plan. It wouldn't be long before he'd pick a turn to pass them up. The crowd watched in amusement and excitement. People paid a fortune to come and see The Fabulous Hudson Hornet race against the others. The announcers were just as excited, saying everything with such enthusiasm and concern. The races were being televised across the country, on TV and radio. It wasn't just the people at the track that were watching. The whole country was watching. That didn't scare Hudson. It made him want to work harder and push to win each race.

 _"_ _As they enter the final lap the number six and number twelve cars are still fighting it out for the lead!"_ The announced exclaimed, speaking with such excitement and passion. It made the crowd feel even more exhilarated. They watched as the cars zipped through the turn. Fine grains of sand flew everywhere, into eyes and mouths, but nobody cared. Everything was so exciting, and there was so much going on. Everyone was loving it.

Hudson pushed for the lead. At the next turn, he would try to pull a move to pass. He was confident it would work.

 _"_ _But wait! Here he comes! It's The Fabulous Hudson Hornet knocking at their door! What's he got up his sleeve today?_ "

Hudson smirked and made a sharp turn with the track. He gripped the steering wheel as hard as he could. As he felt to begin to feel his car turn sideways, he turned the wheel the other way. His car drifted smoothly on the inside of the turn, passing the others in what seemed like slow motion. The Hornet's engine revved with passion as Hudson pulled out of the turn, straightening his car once again.

 _"_ _And there it is! With one incredible move, he's passed them! The Hornet takes a decisive lead!"_

"YES!" Hudson exclaimed, slapping his steering wheel as he pulled into the straightaway. A successful move, once again, though it was risky, he made it. He always did.

 _"_ _He's left the pack behind, his crew chief Smokey is loving it! It's unbelievable!"_

Hudson stepped on his pedal and charged across the straightaway, parallel with the beach now. So close. So close, he whispered to himself. This was the last straightaway. His victory was approaching rapidly. Hudson tried to maintain control of his car. The sand was soft, but it didn't slow him down. He plowed forward, as the Hornet's engine roared and choked deeply. He had a good lead now… So close, so close, he told himself again...Suddenly, he felt the front tires of his machine sink slowly into the sand. The right tire caught, sunk into the sand, and Hudson felt himself lose control. The steering wheel took control, sliding, and spinning in the direction of the tires, which threw Hudson's hands off. The car started to sway and rock.

 _"_ _Oh no! He's in trouble!"_

The car pulled to the left, bringing it sideways, the right side facing in the forward direction of the track. It was over. He had lost control. Hudson didn't know what to do.

 _"_ _The Hudson Hornet has lost control!"_

With a few moments of the car being completely sideways, it finally kicked and flipped over, gaining momentum.

 _The Hudson Hornet has lost control!"_

Each time it rolled, it plunged into the sand, then gained more air and momentum, flipping over and over, before rocking to a stop in the sand. Everything was completely still. A pit member waved a red flag in the air. The race cars slowed to a stop, as the drivers watched. Some of them got out of their cars to get a better look. Lou pulled herself out of her car, watching the scene from a distance. She couldn't catch her breath.

"Oh my God," she said heavily, as tears started to leak down her cheeks. "Help him!" She yelled, as River came over and wrapped his arms around her, to turn her away from the sight.

The crowd didn't even gasp. Everything fell silent. Eyes were wide and fearful. The faint and lighthearted looked away, cringing at the sight that lay before them. The shiny blue Hornet now lay in the sand, scraped, and dirtied, words barely visible across the sides. A light smoke was leaking from the edges of the hood. The roof was dented in from the violent flipping, and the trunk of the race car had popped open, no longer fitting into the dented car's metal body. It looked as if there was no movement from the inside. For ten seconds, it seemed as if the whole country stood still.

But Hudson was conscious and struggled, trying to climb out of the window. He needed to get out. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, he was barely able to breathe, but at this point, it didn't matter anymore.

Smokey watched from the pits, unable to even speak. That was Hud. His friend. Somebody help him. Somebody save him. Do something. "HELP HIM!" Smokey screamed from the pits, running as close as he could to the wreck before a few men stopped him. Sirens could be heard in the distance. Hudson pulled himself out of the window, dropping into the sand below the car. Smokey's heart sank. "SOMEBODY HELP THE BOY," he yelled as the ambulances came around the corner. "His adrenaline, he's trying to get out! Don't let him get out! He's hurt, he's…!" Smokey stopped, hopping over the fence, running for Hud. "DON'T MOVE, HUDSON!" He yelled.

The injured and shocked racer pulled himself up, walking towards Smokey, trying to get away from the car. He took about eight shaky steps before he collapsed into the sand, face down. A small dribbling trail of blood followed his steps, leading right to his body on the ground. His arms were thrown out to his sides. Hudson had tried hard to get away, but he couldn't go any further. He finally gave up. His breathing was heavy and labored. The ambulances and medics pulled up around him, pushing Smokey to the side.

 _"_ _What should have been a scene of jubilation has turned tragic here today folks."_ The announcer said, in a serious and guarded tone. _"We await news on the Hudson Hornet's condition."_

Smokey watched as the medics assessed the young racer. "Hud?! Hud can you hear me, boy?!" Smokey tried to yell, from a distance away. As a medic moved, he caught sight of the boy. He writhed for a few seconds, before falling limply into a medic's arms. His face was bloodied and bruised, and Smokey could already see him getting swollen. They took his helmet and his cap off, then ripped his jacket apart. Hudson started to groan in pain, but the medics reassured him he was alright. He wasn't alright. He was struggling, and he was in pain. Smokey hoped they could do their job and take care of him. He wanted to be there, to comfort him and hold his hand, but they wouldn't let him. They pushed Smokey away and transferred the injured racer onto a stretcher, then ushered it into the back of an open ambulance. The car raced off, sirens blaring. Smokey stood there, with Junior, River, and Lou for a few moments, before they were ushered off to a car they could follow into the hospital. All was quiet again. The last words of the announcer rang in Smokey's head again and again…

 _"…_ _After such a devastating crash, we can only hope that this race today wasn't his last."_


	5. The Long Road

**5 - The Long Road**

"He's suffered damage to his neck and spinal cord. Thankfully, there wasn't any serious head trauma. Now, you can thank God for our helmets. Your kid is lucky to be alive. He has a lot of stitches, and a few broken bones as well. He'll have a long recovery, and…"

"…and his racing career? Will he ever be able to get back out there?" Smokey interrupted.

"…guarded," the doctor said shortly, throwing back an attitude at Smokey's interruption. He flipped the pieces of paper back over to the top of his clipboard and clicked his pen during the awkward silence between the mentor and him.

Smokey nodded and headed back into the room where Hudson was staying. He was lying limp in bed, arms at his side, and one of them cast into a certain position. He was bandaged, stiff, and pale. Smokey hated to see him in such bad condition, but according to the doctors, Hudson was doing everything they wanted him doing at the moment in time. That was a good thing, which would apparently promote healing. Smokey and his friends didn't understand that yet.

"He's in pain," Lou said softly, running her hand through Hudson's hair.

"How do you know?" Junior asked, looking up at Lou from the opposite side of the bed. River stood next to him, arms crossed, eyes fixated on Hudson.

"I can tell," Lou said softly. "He just looks uneasy."

Lou bent down and placed a kiss on Hudson's forehead. She held his weak hand in hers, running her thumb across the top of his hand to soothe him.

Smokey ran a hand across his own forehead and sighed. "It's going to be a long road."

"Yeah, but Hud has never had a problem with long roads before," Junior flipped what Smokey said out of context and flashed a smile. Smokey smiled in reply, looking down at Hudson. "That's true. He's tough. He'll pull through this."

The friends were there every day as soon as visitor hours were open. Smokey never left Hudson's side. He didn't want anything to happen to Hudson without him around. Lou came in, bringing food for the rest of her friends. Hudson hadn't been awake while they were there. He had been in a lot of pain, which was the only reason he occasionally started to stir. They sat around quietly, trying to be there for him and comfort him. He was unconscious, but they knew he could sense they were there.

Lou sighed, twisting a piece of Hudson's hair as she leaned over next to him. "Oh, wake up..." She whispered. "Come on, Hudson..." She tapped at his forehead and then tapped at his chin.

Hudson flinched, which made Lou raise an eyebrow. The young racer's eyes started to flutter, and he stirred in bed. It had only been a few days since the accident, but Hudson was strong. Lou smiled at him and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Hey Hud," she said, as his eyes finally fluttered awake. He squinted, under the soft sunlight coming through the room that blinded his eyes. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth when he saw all his friends.

Smokey squeezed his other hand and laughed a little. "Good morning. You're in bad shape. I'm sure you know that. Don't move, just relax."

"You always tell me that," Hudson said softly.

"I do huh?"

"Mmh," Hud nodded a little, imitating Smokey, "relax, just slow down, why are you in a rush…"

Everyone in the room laughed, including the nurse who was changing out a saline bag for the racer.

"Even after all of what you've been through," Lou started, "you're still here making joking remarks." She gave him another kiss on the forehead, which made him smile a little more. But his smile faded after a little while.

"What do you need, kid?" Smokey asked, giving him that big-brother protective gaze. He wanted to make sure Hudson was as comfortable as possible.

"Just in a bit of pain."

"I know, kid, they're trying to get some stronger medication for you."

Hudson nodded, "So I took a little flip and dip or somethin'…?" He asked. Smokey and the crew laughed again.

"You could call it that," Smokey said softly. "We'll talk about it later…Okay…? You went through a lot. It's time to get some more rest now, alright? I promise we'll catch you up to speed…"

"…make sure the public knows I'm okay."

"….okay," Smokey replied.

"And make sure they know I'll be back…"

"Alright, Hud," Smokey pulled the blanket up to Hudson's chest. "Now, time to rest…"

"And make sure you tell Glenn that too," Hudson said, before closing his eyes. "Thank you."

Only a day after the accident the newspapers had filled with information about the crash. The whole world seemed to know what had happened by now. There were so many headlines, Smokey couldn't even keep track of them.

"CRASH! HUDSON HORNET OUT FOR THE SEASON,"

"Season Ender Fender Bender Puts Young Hornet In Garage." Over the next two weeks, Smokey brought the papers to Hudson as he recovered in the hospital. He always laughed at the rhyme, "Season Ender Fender Bender," and then showed it to anyone who was in his room at the time.

Hudson was in good spirits, and he was starting to walk and move around more as the weeks passed on. He was as confident and cocky as ever. He used the hospital to his advantage, obtaining as much ice cream as he could. The doctors were now confident that the young man would be making a full recovery and assured him that he would be able to race again, as long as he took his recovery nice and slow. Hudson agreed to that. He couldn't wait to get back out there, feeling the dirt and gravel beneath his shoes, and smelling the sweet scent of oil and grit all around. That was home. That was where he belonged. That was where he grew up. That's what he grew up to be.

Lou sometimes came in by herself, just to talk with him. He only had a few days left in the hospital before they were releasing him home. She stood at the frame of the door, watching him as he packed his bag of things to go home. He dropped a sock on the floor and struggled to bend down to get it. Louise stepped in, grabbing the sock and handing it to Hudson.

"You ready to go home, sock monster?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," he said, taking the sock and putting it away. "I'm still in a good amount of pain but there's not much I can do at this point. I just gotta play it safe like they said I should be doin'.'"

"I know, and that's what I always tell yah," Louise moved in closer, looking up at him with those emerald green eyes. Hudson grinned. He was amused by her schoolgirl crush she had for him. She tried to hide it but it was easy to tell she liked him. Hud played along with it. He sorta liked it… He just never said anything about it. He tried to play it cool, as Louise wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him close.

"I'm so proud that you're not afraid to get back out there and start racing again," she said soothingly.

"Afraid? Haven't heard that word before, huh."

"Huh," Louise tapped his chin. "Doesn't surprise me. You walked right out of your wreck and then tried to get back to Smokey before you collapsed."

"Collapsed? I was just taking a little nap in the sand. It was warm," he said, smirking, as he squinted his bright blue eyes.

Louise laughed and blushed a little red. "I'm glad you're okay, Hudson. You scared us."

"Oh I know," he said softly, taking it down to a more serious tone. "I know." He looked down at his pockets in his loose hospital jacket and sighed. "You're probably glad I'm alive, yeah?"

Louise nodded, arms still wrapped around him, holding him gently. She didn't want to let him go or let anything happen to him again. "I am very thankful to still have you here," she gave him a kiss on his nose and then stepped back.

Hudson pulled her back in for a quick embrace, which made her blush. "I see that blush," he tapped her red cheeks.

"No, you d-don't!" She covered her cheeks with her hands and sighed.

"Alright Hud, I came here to help you pack, mister, so let's actually help you pack."

Hudson smiled and shook his head. "Alrighty then," he said, following her lead. He watched her, smiling as she started to help. He did like her after all. She was beginning to grow on him.

It was a few hours later, and Smokey stopped by to check on Hudson. He knocked lightly on the frame of the door. The young racer turned around and smiled warmly.

"Hey Smokey," Hudson greeted him. "If you came to help me pack, well, Lou already did," he smirked.

Smokey came in slowly, with a small brown package under his arm. He sat on the edge of the bed next to Hudson and exhaled. Hudson looked at him.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked quietly.

Smokey shook his head. "No, no kid, you're fine," he said softly, handing the young man the brown package. "I saved these newspapers. That way you can show them to your family and tell 'em about this big wreck of yours," he laughed.

Hudson chuckled and took the package gently. "Thanks, Smokey, I definitely will."

Smokey and Hudson stayed quiet for a few moments before the mentor reached out and put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Hudson. This is a long recovery, I know, but you're pulling through this and you're in good spirits. You're helping the rest of the racers feel better too because they see you're doing alright after such a bad accident."

"Thanks, Smokey," Hudson replied, "it was hard at first, but I feel like I'm getting better now. Give me a few weeks and I'll be out racin-"

"-Nah-ah!" Smokey barked. "They said a month or two."

"Fine."

Smokey bumped Hudson and chuckled. "I'll be by tomorrow morning to pick you up. About ten. Is that good?"

"That's perfect. I'll be ready to go."

Smokey gave the young man a pat on the shoulder and stood. "Alright now, get some sleep." He waved goodbye and closed the door behind him as he headed out. Hudson felt at peace. He was going to be okay. He made it through this. He was finally going home tomorrow, and he had such a wonderful group of supportive friends to go back to. He slid into bed and pulled the covers over himself, drifting off to sleep. It would be smooth sailing from here on.


	6. You're History

**6 - You're History**

Hudson set his things by the door, waiting for the nurse to come in and discharge him, so he could head down to the front doors and find Smokey. It was nearing 9:30. He tapped his foot, sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in his rolled-up blue jeans, and deep blue leather jacket. He was ready to go now…Anytime now. He could hear footsteps down the hall, and someone opened the door. It was Glenn. He seemed a bit anxious but entered the room when Hudson granted him permission to.

"Hey champ," said the manager, standing in front of him.

"Are you picking me up instead of Smokey?"

"Yeah, I was working at the offices over here and called Smokey up to tell him it'd be easier if I picked you up," Glenn said kindly.

"Oh," Hudson said disappointedly. "Alright…"

"Oh! And! I just wanted to ask if you would be able to come into my office and meet sometime soon." Glenn made it sound like he forgot that information, and had to search for it, but in reality, he was just waiting to ask Hudson to come into the office, and he had rehearsed it all the way to the hospital.

Hudson paused but nodded anyway. "Alright. I'll come by tomorrow, and say hi to all the others while I'm at it."

Glenn took a deep breath and nodded, hands on his hips. "That will have to work. 1 PM sound alright?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good," Glenn huffed and straightened out his suit. "Let's get going then."

Hudson shrugged but perked up when the nurse walked past Glenn and into the room. Hudson signed the last of the papers, and then he stood.

"Let's go, Glenn, out of this terrible place," he said, grabbing his things and running for the door. Glenn walked him out to the car and drove him home. Hudson felt so relieved to finally be back home. He couldn't wait to go back and see his friends the next day.

Morning broke, and Hudson was up and out of bed as quickly as he could, with his thin, sore body. He had to be careful when he walked and had to take everything very slowly. But he managed to make breakfast, and get out the door in time for his meeting with Glenn. He hopped in his Mustard-yellow '53 Chevy and headed out on the road. The Hornet was rolled into his garage, but he preferred to drive his Chevy around town. The Hornet was for racing. He probably wasn't allowed to drive. He didn't think about that until he was almost halfway there. He shrugged. It was too late to go back, might as well keep going. Hudson turned up the radio and smirked. Finally, out of that disgusting hospital. Freedom had never felt so good. Sure, he could barely walk, but that didn't affect him when he was behind the wheel. He sped through town, towards his destination. When he finally reached the racing headquarters, he shut off the engine and slowly pulled himself out of the car, heading for the front door. He hoped Smokey would be there. It had been a day or two since he had seen his mentor. He already missed him. Hudson pulled the door open and headed into the air conditioned headquarters. It was awfully quiet. Only a few racers and managers looked up from the waiting area, and they all seemed quiet. All eyes were on Hudson, but there was no welcome. Hudson had just survived what would probably be the biggest injury of his life, and everyone acted as if he had never existed. He wasn't even the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. He didn't even feel famous. He limped to the front desk, and leaned on it, looking down at the young woman.

"I'm here to see Mr. Glenn Sanders," he said softly, "my manager."

The woman looked at him and quickly looked back down. "He's in his office. He will see you now," she said, keeping her gaze fixed upon the papers in her lap. Hudson raised an eyebrow. "Alright then," he turned and headed down the hall.

He knocked on Glenn's door and then came in slowly. Glenn turned around and smiled. "Hudson! Good to see you, kid. Take a seat."

"Alright sir," Hudson said, reaching for a seat…

"…close the door, will you?"

"Yes, sir." Hudson closed the door behind him.

Glenn took a deep breath. "So I'm sure you know we're here to talk about your racing career, since, well, you've had an accident and all."

"Yes sir," he replied again, fiddling with his hand under the desk. "The doctors told me about a month, then I can start gettin' in a car again. I-if you need the papers, I've got them all."

Glenn held up a hand. "About that, Hudson," he paused, gathering his words before he spoke. "We've actually got a new rookie on the hook."

"To race while I'm out this month?"

Glenn bit his lip… "Not necessarily, Hudson." He stood up, walking over to adjust a figurine on his bookshelf. "You see, Hudson, this new guy, he's got all the training, and one of our newest racing cars. It's one of the newest models that we've modified. It's faster and more stable."

"Okay…?" Hudson was puzzled.

Glenn continued. "Hudson, the public, they love the celebrities like you, winning all the trophies, handsome, charming, caring, and sociable…" Glenn paused, then continued to speak. "But the fame, it can only last so long. Sooner or later, the fans want the latest and greatest. They want a new face. They want a new racer. Your streak can only last for so long. Sooner or later they're going to move on, and find something else to entertain them, or someone else to cheer for… That's great, but if we're not the company that is going to give them something new, another company will. And that's lost business for us."

Hudson didn't know what to say, as he processed what the manager was telling him.

Glenn continued to speak. "The Fabulous Hudson Hornet was quite the show, but you're never going to be as famous after your wreck, Hudson. People haven't been hearing anything about you, so they're just moving on."

"But I can come back, make a big deal about it and make a big appearance."

"Then let's go back to the concept about a new face, again. Even if you do come back, the public has already seen you. They want something new. They want more. I just do not think you are going to give this company what it needs to support itself."

"So I'm being replaced, sir?" Hudson's voice grew more serious, and deeper.

"Well, I mean…"

"No, that's what you're saying," Hudson's voice raised. "You're saying I'm replaced, aren't you? I'm done, aren't I?!" He yelled, standing up out of his chair.

"I'm sorry Hudson, we've already hired the new kid, you're done, Hudson."

"So all that, everything I've done," he said, tears forming in his gentle blue eyes, "all that work, and all that perseverance to recover and race again, it was all for nothing then?! Is that all? I'm replaced, just like that, the snap of a finger, I'm done. I'm NOTHING to you!"

"Now, Hudson! Lower your voice!"

"I'm done," he said, shaking his head and gathering your things. "I'm absolutely done."

"You were already done," Glenn said, frustrated at Hudson's attitude. "You're history."

Glenn pressed the button that opened the office door, and extended a hand to the door, gesturing for Hudson to leave. The young racer pushed the door open and stormed out. He knew it now. Everyone in the office knew about the new rookie. They knew he was getting replaced. He stormed through the waiting room, and past the people. "You all knew," he hissed, before closing the door behind him. The words rang in his head, all the way home. _You're history._

 _You're_ ** _history._**

Hudson went home in a rage. Tears poured from his eyes, as the words of Glenn stung in his heart. He was shattering. His whole life was racing. His whole life had just been pulled out from under his feet. He was nothing. What was he, without racing? Hudson didn't know.

An idea popped into his head, and he acted quickly, out of anger and grief. He pulled a suitcase and a few crates from the garage. He packed his closet belongings, the newspapers, the trophies, his tools, and photographs.

He looked at the yellow Chevy and the blue Hornet next to it. He was lucky enough that the company had replaced his car before they got rid of him. Hudson thought for a few moments…As quickly as he could, Hudson grabbed a rock and a piece of sandpaper. He rubbed it across the sides of the car, scratching off the famous yellow and white words as best he could. He scratched at it in frustration, as he thought about what just happened. Tears poured from his eyes as he scratched harder and harder. He sprayed paint on it, sanded, scratched, and did whatever he could to get it off. He sanded it so hard that sweat dripped down his forehead, and blood dripped from his knuckles. His heart was broken. His body was pulsing in pain, but Hudson didn't even care. He was so distraught. The brand new car in front of him was once again broken and ruined, just like Hudson.

 _You're history…._ The words rang in his head as he cried.

He'd be history, that's for sure. He threw the rock at the car, then loaded all his things into the back. He obtained the telephone number of the owner of his rental place, then dialed the number, as he sat against the wall in the dark garage. He needed to notify the man about the apartment. It would be vacant by the morning. Hudson was done here. The words bounced around in his head, and he tried to hold back the tears before the man answered the telephone, but it was too difficult. Hudson knew the words would haunt him for years to come.

 _You're history._


	7. Missing

**7 - Missing**

"I'm going to call him," Lou said softly. "I haven't heard from him since the day before he was leaving the hospital. I haven't heard from Smokey either. He was supposed to pick him up."

"Do you think something happened?" Junior asked, standing next to the telephone with Lou.

"I don't know…"

Lou dialed, but there was no answer. She tried Smokey's number. Again, no answer.

She shook her head. "I don't like this. Let's go to Hud's place. We'll check on him. I mean, he just came home from the hospital. What if he slipped and hurt himself? What if nobody knows?" She ran for her keys and then headed out to her car. Junior and River followed, just as worried as she was.

Lou drove as fast as she could without getting a ticket. She pulled up in front of the expensive apartments and headed over to Hudson's place. Junior couldn't keep up. He heaved when he got to the top of the stairs. Lou knocked repeatedly. No reply. She groaned and knocked again. Again, and again she knocked. No reply. She hit the door in frustration.

"Hud!? You in there?!" She yelled. River put a hand on her shoulder and tried to pull her back, to calm her down. As she took a deep breath, a neighbor came out of his door and looked at the trio.

"Looking for Hudson?" He asked.

They nodded. Lou's eyes were misty with tears. "Where is he?…" She asked hesitantly.

The man shrugged. "He left early this morning. Took his belongings with him and left the rest. They were cleaning out his place earlier today. Sounds like he left on short notice."

The three of them fell silent. "He left…?" Louise asked softly. "W-where did he go then…?"

The neighbor shrugged. "I wish I could tell you ma'am, but I haven't got a clue where he went." He waved and headed out.

Louise stood there, silent for a few moments before tears started to fall down her cheeks. She didn't make a sound. Neither did Junior or River. Hudson was gone. There was no way to tell where he went. Did Smokey go with him? Did Smokey do this? What happened? She headed out, quietly, in shock. The two young men followed suit.

Lou kept walking, only saying a few words as they headed to the car, "we need to talk to Smokey. Right now."

River drove to Smokey's home. Louise was in shock. Junior tried to comfort her, but he himself was hurting. Hudson was their friend. He was like a brother. Nobody could replace him, and now he was gone, as if he disappeared off the face of the earth. As soon as River stopped the car, Louise flew out, dragging Junior with her. Junior knocked first. He banged on the door, begging.

"Smokey, if you're in there, you gotta let us in! Help us out! Please, c'mon!"

There were a few moments of silence before the door unlocked, and Smokey opened it. "Come in," he said somberly. The three did so, closing the door behind them in a panic.

"Hudson is gone," Junior said. "We can't find him. He didn't pick up his telephone so we went over to his place and the neighbor said he left. They already cleaned out part of his apartment. He's gone. Literally gone."

"Hud? He's gone…?" Smokey said shakily. "Oh, Hud…" He said worriedly. "He must have been so upset." He ran his hands across his face, groaning. "Oh my gosh, Hudson…"

"What's going on here?" River questioned. "Smokey, what happened?"

Smokey sat them down. He explained that Glenn was planning to replace Hudson with a new rookie racer, and was planning a meeting the day before. Everyone knew that there was a new racer apparently. They kept it away from Louise, River, and Junior because they had not been by the racing headquarters. Smokey was almost in tears as he spoke in a shaky voice.

"Glenn wanted me to tell him. I was going to pick him up from the hospital, and Glenn wanted me to tell him on the way back!" Smokey said, wiping his eyes. "I told Glenn, Hudson was a brother to me, and I could never tell him anything so devastating. I knew it would break his heart. I didn't have the heart to tell him that he couldn't race anymore. I wasn't the one that made the decision. It wasn't my responsibility to tell him. I didn't want him getting upset and walking out on me. Hudson was my friend. Glenn disagreed and fired me because I didn't want to tell Hud that he was done. He picked up Hudson from the hospital and scheduled the meeting." Smokey shook his head, trying to keep himself from crying any more than he already was. "H-he must've told him during the meeting."

"I didn't think that Hudson would leave…" Smokey continued, shakily. "I didn't think he would…" His voice faded. Louise buried her face in her hands. Junior comforted River as he started to cry a little. Hudson was gone. There was nothing anybody could do except wait and see. Waiting seemed like forever.

"I already miss him," River said softly.

"We all do," Smokey said, still at a loss for words. He stared at the newspaper on his wall.

"Hudson Hornet. Champion For All Time," it read.

Smokey wondered if he'd ever see that again. He didn't know what was going to happen to Hudson. It was out of his hands now. Smokey was going to keep looking. He couldn't let go of Hudson that easily. He wasn't done yet…He wouldn't forget Hudson…

…And he knew Hudson would never forget them.


	8. New Beginnings

**(Hello readers! So it seemed that you all enjoyed the first set on one-shots for my Doc Hudson stories so I decided to add more! These next ones will be about Doc's career after racing, and later on, how he discovers Radiator Springs! Please enjoy! Feel free to leave a review below. Constructive criticism is good! Please tell me some honest answers! Thanks!)**

 **New Beginnings**

It was the beginning of September 1955, New York City. The deep blue Hornet pulled up to the school parking lot, rumbling just as low and proud as it always had. It was repainted and the sanded. The sides were plain blue, and the red racing tires had been replaced with a clean set of whitewalls. Slowly, the door opened, and Hudson stepped out. His bright eyes were covered by a pair of dark aviator glasses. For the most part, he looked the same, but any remnants of the Fabulous Hudson Hornet had been completely removed from his life. He liked it that way. He was never recognized, and if someone stopped and asked why he looked familiar, he just told them he looked like Paul Newman. It usually made them agree and redirected the conversation into a different topic.

Hudson looked at the university in front of him and took a deep breath. Part of him couldn't believe he was back, but the other part of him said it was a good decision. He hung his leather messenger bag off of his left shoulder and headed for the door. It was the first day of medical school. Hudson had started when he was younger, but it didn't interest him. Racing took up too much of his time. Now, things had changed. Hudson had time for other things. His life had made a complete turn-around. He felt like a new person. It was time to start over. He headed down the long, crowded halls. When he found his classroom, he headed inside, grabbed the papers at the front desk, and settled into his seat quickly. There were at least fifty students around him, opening up their new syllabuses, going over their orientation hand-outs, and discussing grading and assignments. This was going to be a long road, Hudson knew that. He thought about his decision for a few minutes as he waited. Was this what he really wanted to do…?

 _Yes, yes it was,_ he told himself in his head. This is what he wanted to do now.

As the weeks, months, and even years went by, Hudson excelled. He worked hard, long hours to study and succeed in his work. He avoided parties, drinking, and friends. He was always alone. Hudson never wanted to confront or speak to people. In fact, he didn't even know his own roommate's last name. Hudson was just there to pass time in his life that he had nothing to do with. He didn't feel like he was living. He was surviving. Some days he felt depressed and lonely, and other days he was content with where he was at. He wasn't the most likable person anymore. He was rude, selfish, and inconsiderate. Hudson wasn't in medical school with a passion to help and care for others. He was there to pass the time and ride through life as numbly as possible.

Hudson was heading back from a lecture, as the third year of medical school was coming to a close. It was night time, the streets were quiet and lights were starting to flicker off for the night. Hudson always walked quickly the way to his dorm. He didn't stop and talk to anyone. It was safer, anyway. That was always his excuse. Fellow students from his class followed him as they headed to their dorms. Hudson's roommate, Benny, caught up with him as they walked back to their dorm.

"Hudson?" He waved. "It's Benny," he tried to get his attention. Benny walked faster in order to keep up with Hudson's long strides. "Where are you going to do your residency?" He asked curiously. "A lot of the kids are starting to decide around now… I'm narrowing it down a few places."

Hudson shrugged, partially ignoring him. "I haven't decided yet. I'll get there…"

"Well you better decide soon, or you're going to run out of time, Hudson!" Benny advised him and laughed quietly as he walked alongside his roommate.

"It's not your career," Hudson suddenly snapped in reply. "Don't worry about my life, just worry about yours. Why do you care anyway?" He said rudely. He didn't give even a thought about Benny. Hudson simply didn't care. Benny quieted, and slowed down, as Hudson kept walking.

"I was just-" Benny cut his sentence off softly, as Hudson kept walking. He left Benny in the dark and didn't think about him anymore. Benny came home later that night but never spoke a word to Hudson. A few days later, Hudson received news that Benny requested a new dorm. Hudson never heard from Benny again.

Hudson didn't move far to continue with his residency. In fact, he stayed in the city of New York. The doctors were kind and the nurses were friendly, but Hudson was never more than acquaintances with anyone. Friends were not his thing anymore. A young woman once invited him to lunch. Hudson declined. His decline must have been rude because she never talked to him again. As ignorant and blatant as Hudson was, he was very skilled at his practice. He was a quick thinker. He made smart, clear, and decisive choices. For the time he spent in the Emergency Room, he did an exceptional job. Hudson worked well under pressure. But in reality, he closed himself off and stayed as numb as possible. He never felt bad for patients, and never felt excited when the patients responded positively. Behind his back, coworkers called him the robot doctor. They doubted Hudson would ever get a steady job with the personality that he had.

Hudson walked the aisle in 1967 and obtained his medical degree. It was the first time he had smiled in a while. He felt a sense of accomplishment and achievement that he had not felt in a long time. It was a long road, but one worth traveling. Hudson knew his satisfaction would only be temporary.

The night of graduation was chalked full of parties and celebrations. Hudson was not invited to any. He didn't grow close enough to any of his peers. Nobody wanted him at their parties. He wasn't friendly after all, and difficult to confront. The night of his graduation, Hudson walked back to his apartment quietly. There was no graduation party. No family. No friends. No nothing. Hudson had lived with the same empty feeling in his heart for twelve years and had never cared. But something felt different the night of his graduation. He worked so hard for his degree. He saw his classmates and peers celebrating, and he had nothing. The feeling stung his heart. Hudson began to realize how much trouble he was truly in. Nobody could live like this. He was empty, and he was heartbroken. Twelve years had passed of him feeling the way he did, and he never cared. But that night, he cared. He realized how bad it had gotten. It was eye-opening. Here he was, on the biggest night of his life, and nobody cared about him. Nobody knew. Tears began to leak down his cheeks as he gripped the degree in his arms. The walk back to his room felt like the longest walk of his life. He listened to the parties and celebrations. With each step he took, he felt heavier and heavier. His heart ached. Hudson felt broken and useless. By the time he got home, all he wanted to do was cry. He cursed himself and his selfishness. Tonight should have been one of the happiest nights of his life, but it felt like the complete opposite. Hudson couldn't help but grieve about it.


	9. Journey

**(Hey guys! I'm so glad you all have enjoyed the fanfic so far! I will be writing more about Doc in Radiator Springs soon, so stay tuned! Please feel free to leave reviews! Constructive criticism is totally okay with me! Thank you!)**

 **Journey**

It was late October, 1967. Hudson was now thirty-five years old. After graduation, Hudson searched for work in the city but found nothing that suited him. And after he obtained his degree, Hudson started to rethink his life. He wasn't sure if he wanted to work in a busy hospital all day. He needed something more. He knew he needed to get back to the man he used to be, but he was finding that hard to do. He wanted out of the city. Perhaps he could find a quieter job somewhere else. The city was too busy and too bustling for his liking. Now that he couldn't hide in school anymore, he had to get away. He wondered if people would ever recognize him as the _Fabulous Hudson Hornet._ He doubted it. It seemed as if he had disappeared off the face of the planet. People didn't care. They had moved on. Glenn was right all along. Hudson wished he could have understood at the time. He was much older now and had learned a thing or two.

Hudson decided to head out to California. He didn't want to go down South again. He grew up down there, and he wanted something new. It was time for a fresh start. Hudson began to pack up his place. He didn't own much. There were only a few items that had stayed with him the whole time he was in medical school. Hudson still owned all of the newspapers from his racing past, and all three of the Piston Cups he had won in the fifties. They sat in the closet and collected dust over the years. Hudson always told himself he'd keep them as a reminder never to go back. But if he didn't want to go back, wouldn't it be best just to get rid of it all and forget about it? Hudson couldn't do it. Part of him couldn't let go. It was in his blood. He was born for racing. Whenever those thoughts came back to Hudson, he flushed them out of his head and moved on to continue packing. Hudson felt like he was doing the same thing he did twelve years ago. He packed his car, and simply started driving. A job was not guaranteed for him in California; Hudson did not know what to expect. He would drive, and drive, and see where it got him. Either that or he would go as far as his old Hornet would take him. Hudson left New York in December and never looked back. He had begun another long journey across the States. The first night, Hudson stopped at a motel in Illinois. That was a thirteen-hour drive. Hudson was drained, emotionally and physically. He went to bed early, without dinner. At this point, Hudson didn't care to eat that much. He ate as little as possible, just enough to get him enough energy to stay away. He knew he needed to rest for the journey the following morning. Hudson drifted off to sleep quickly and slept completely through the night.

The following morning, Hudson's alarm went off at 5 AM. He rolled out his warm bed, and slumped around the room, gathering the things he had brought into the motel room. Hudson wasn't the only one up this early in the morning. Many other travelers were starting to check out, to get back on the road after their Christmas vacations. Hudson forgot it was even December. He didn't even celebrate Christmas this year. He never did. As some families packed started to leave around Hudson, a man leaned over the railing of the balcony above Hudson's room. His family was getting ready as he waited outside, puffing a cigarette.

"Now ain't that a swell car," he said in a familiar voice.

Hudson turned around quickly, confused when he heard the familiar voice. For a moment, his heart skipped a beat. _Smokey?…_

The man smiled. "Did I scare you, boy?" He laughed a little. Hudson saw him and calmed down. It wasn't Smokey. Hudson couldn't tell if the voice was actually similar to Smokey's, or if he was just tired and getting delirious.

"Thank you, sir."

"Hornet?"

"Yes, sir. She's a '51."

"And she's a beauty, let me tell you that," the man said kindly. "You got a nice car on your hands, consider yourself lucky."

Hudson flashed a small smirk. "Thank you, sir. Been a good car through all the years. I can always trust 'er."

"Now that's a good car," the man added, tipping his hat. "Safe travels to you."

Hudson watched the man go. He sounded like Smokey, and he reminded Hudson of Smokey. It hurt his heart. He missed his friends. As Hudson started to prepare for his trip, he found himself grieving more than he was angry. He didn't feel sorry for himself, and he didn't feel upset at Glenn and the company anymore. Hudson was lonely and depressed. He now knew that something was missing, but he still needed to figure out what was missing, and what he was going to do next.

Hudson continued on, sometimes driving at night, sometimes in the day. No matter what mood Hudson was in, he still enjoyed driving. He sat in his comfy driver's seat with the radio tuned to his favorite channels. Driving the highway reminded him of the road trips he used to take with his family when he was just a boy. He remembered his father telling long and boring stories. His mother was constantly panicking, asking her husband if he had the correct directions. He and his siblings played with toys in the back seat, and every hour, they asked in unison, "Are we there yet?"

The memories made Hudson smile to himself as he drove. He missed his family. He missed those memories. He missed the times when life was easy, and all he had to do was finish his homework and go out and play with his friends. Those were simpler days, and with every year, things seemed to get more and more complicated. Hudson found it hard to accept the changes right away.

The blue Hornet slowly crawled across the United States. Hudson met many different people from lots of different states, but he never made an effort to talk to any of them for longer than a few minutes. He didn't want any personal questions to come up because he didn't want to answer them. He didn't want to open up or trust anyone. He didn't want to create any strong bonds or lasting relationships and didn't want to get caught in the same situation as he did back in the 50's. Hudson knew he needed to change, but he was consistently finding it hard to do. It wasn't easy to reach out and meet people or find something to do that would interest him. He was so used to living alone, after all. Sometimes, he'd go to a local bar for a drink or two. He always sat next to people, and as much as he wanted to talk to someone, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Hudson always made excuses in his head.

" _I won't be here long, I'm leaving tomorrow. It doesn't matter."_

 _"_ _I've got to get to California. I don't have time to get to know people."_

 _"_ _I'm just a quiet-natured person. It's my personality."_

At the end of the day when Hudson settled into his hotel room, he always regretted not stepping out of his comfort zone. Something didn't feel right. Something was still holding him back.


	10. Route 66

**Route 66**

The radio played softly as Hudson drove across the interstate in the early morning. It was around 6 AM. He was crossing the border of New Mexico. Hudson was surprised that snow started to appear on the ground as he drove through Oklahoma and down to New Mexico. It was a light snow and looked as if powdered sugar had been sprinkled across the ground. Hudson marveled at the sight. He had never expected it to snow in the desert, but then again, he really did not know much about the desert. He rolled up the windows as the air began to get cool and crisp. Now, he was looking forward to the drive.

Hudson headed down the interstate for another twenty miles before he tapped his Hornet's fuel gauge. The car was beginning to run low on fuel. He planned ahead and made sure he'd have enough fuel to search for a station in case he was lost. He cruised along the interstate, changed lanes, and took the nearest exit: a sign in blue, with the words "REST STOP." Under the words were a few icons, indicating a gas station, lodging, and restaurants. It looked like a small town. Hudson followed the directions to town. He pulled up at an intersection. The town was to the right, but to the left was a worn, old road. It was bumpy, and weeds and plants sprouted through the cracks in the asphalt. Nobody was traveling down it, at least from what Hudson saw. Most the cars were turning from the town and directly onto the highway. He wondered where the old road led to…Then he saw it. Ahead of the old, worn road was a faded and dented sign. There were two numbers on it, which looked a little blurry from far away, but Hudson could still read it. "ROUTE 66," the sign read. The sign pole looked like it had been run into, as it slouched over, rusting at the bottom. A smile crept up the corner of Hudson's mouth. He and his family used to take the famous route on vacations back in the 40's, though now the route seemed desolate. Hudson saw the town and the gas station, and he knew that's where he needed to go, but he felt as if the road was telling him to come. " _Come relive the old memories, take a drive, slow down, and enjoy the ride,"_ Hudson could almost hear it say. He couldn't get the old memories of the route out of his head. He shook off the thoughts and turned to the station. The Hornet pulled next to the nearest pump and then came to a stop. Hudson turned off his car, checked the price on the pump, and went inside to pay. He opened the door to the quaint little station's store. An elderly man sat at the counter, smiling warmly. He was dressed in a button up shirt and worn leather jacket. Judging by his appearance it was clear that he had been through a lot in his days. His face was scarred and wrinkled, but his friendly disposition and warm smile could make anyone's day better. He waved to Hudson. "Welcome," he said kindly. "Yah' need a fill-up?"

"Yes sir," Hudson said as he reached for his wallet to pay. "Get me however many gallons this ten-dollar bill with pay for," he handed the money to the man. "Pump 2."

"I'll send my boy out there to fill your car up." He looked to his left, where his grandson sat, reading a book. " _Richard_ , the pump," he reminded the teen. Richard stood and hurried outside.

Hudson stayed quiet as the old man took his time trying to get the register open. Hudson tapped his finger on the counter, before out of the blue, he piped up. "Is Route 66 still active?" He asked. The man shrugged. "You can drive it, but there's nobody else on it, I promise you that."

"If I get on the route over here, will I run into any towns or shops?"

"Probably. It's a nice drive, but if yah' break down, nobody is gon' come and getcha'."

Hudson smirked. "I'll take my chances."

"You want a map?" The man asked. "I've got some free ones here," he pointed to the little stand of maps with a shaky, wrinkled hand. "They'll get yah' home if yah' pay attention."

"Then I'll take one," Hudson said as he reached for a map. "Thank you," he said, as the man handed him a receipt.

"Good luck out there and enjoy the drive," he said kindly, as Hudson waved and headed back out.

Hudson got into his car once again and cranked up the engine. It sputtered and gurgled to life, the deep rumble coming back once again. He waved goodbye to the teen who filled up his car, then quickly took off and headed back down to where he saw the old road sign. He stopped at the intersection once again, but instead of turning onto the highway, Hudson smirked and drove down the old road: Route 66. Hudson couldn't help himself. He had so many good memories of his family back down this road. Maybe he could bring them back, just a glimmer of happiness on this long, long trip. And besides, it would only be a few hours, and he could get back on the highway when the two roads paralleled again. Hudson checked the map. He knew where he was, but the road he was turning down was unmarked on the map. It was simply a long, curving red line that branched out from the interstate. Hudson was confused, but he knew it was 66 since he saw the sign. His car was reliable and he had a full tank. He would be fine. He just kept driving. The view was beautiful, and though the road was old, it was exciting to drive on. Hudson loved every turn, every curve, every drop, and climb. It was so much different than a straight, boring highway. How could people ever take the highway, when there was so much fun to be had on a real, genuine, historical road? Hudson asked himself why he didn't get on the route earlier. He forgot it existed, that's why…

He wondered if everyone else forgot too…

Hudson kept driving for about three hours. It only felt like an hour, he was having such a good time. He rolled the windows down, turned up his radio, and let the wind blow his hair wild. He watched the horizon ahead of him, but it was hard to because the scenery around him was beautiful. Above, were the tallest and most beautiful red-rock mountains. Out of all the states that Hudson drove through, New Mexico was now one of his favorites. The red dirt started to dust and dirty his Hornet again as he drove down the old road. Tall, green cacti lined the roads and fell deep into the hills and ravines. The tall mountains were layered with multicolored rocks, like a sweet, six-layered birthday cake. Hudson was so distracted by the scenery that he drove right past an old, wooden road sign completely unnoticed…

RADIATOR SPRINGS

 _Gateway to Ornament Valley_

Hudson continued driving, even swerving in and out of his lane just for fun. There was nobody on the road anyway. Hudson laughed a little bit, remembering his father driving the same way. His mother would screech and squeal and beg him to stop, as Hudson and his siblings would cheer with excitement. Hudson straightened the car back into his lane. He leaned back into his seat and watched the horizon. The Hornet started to make a sound, a strange sound, that Hudson was not familiar with. He raised an eyebrow, checking his gauges. He didn't see anything that looked bad until there was a pop sound. Then there was a "bang." Hudson jumped in surprise and looked behind him. There was some sort of white exhaust coming from the tailpipe. He quickly pulled over on the side of the road, and the engine sputtered and coughed violently. Hudson quickly shut off the engine as he caught his breath. He sat in the car for a few moments, gathering himself before he stepped out of the car and popped the hood open. Hudson slowly opened it and looked around. He couldn't see anything right away, but he knew something was wrong. After a bit of examination, Hudson started to see that something was seriously wrong. Something had blown out. He slammed the hood of the Hornet and slapped the car.

"Curse you!" He yelled at the car, kicking the bumper, before storming back to the front seat.

He searched through his map, trying to figure out how far it would be until he reached a town. Only thing was, there were no towns on the map. There was nothing written on the map, down Route 66 at least. It was blank and barren. Hudson had no clue. He took a deep breath and tried to relax. He would be fine. Somebody would come by… Until then, Hudson would try and fix the problem, though he wasn't a mechanic. He opened the trunk and lifted the heavy metal box up and out of the back end of his car. Hudson had lost a lot of weight on the trip and was having a hard time just getting the heavy toolbox to the front of the car. He opened it, staring at it for a while. The young man really didn't know what to do…

Hudson fiddled around with his car for an hour. He probably made it worse, as he pushed things, opened gauges, then opened and closed and tightened caps…He wiped his forehead and sighed. How was he sweating? It wasn't even hot! Hudson sat on the front of his car and sighed. As he sat and pouted, a faint rumbling sound started coming from up the road. Hudson ignored it, just thinking maybe an airliner was flying somewhere nearby, but as he looked up the road, he spotted a vehicle. "Yes, yes, yes!" He whispered to himself, as the car got closer. Hudson was in luck…It was a tow truck. He flagged the truck down. It turned around and pulled in front of the Hornet. The man set his car into the parked gear and then opened the door. Hudson couldn't help but chuckle at the truck. It was originally a minty green, but rusting very badly. Hudson could barely make out what the sides of the car said… The doors were painted with an old-timey font:

TOW MATER

–Towing & Salvage–

 _Radiator Springs_

The driver wiped off his overalls and headed over to Hudson. The driver himself was just as unique as the old tow truck. His face was scruffy and aged. He was dirtied and tan, but his toothy smile could brighten anyone's day. "Good day tah' yah'!" He yelled, adjusting his hat. "Tow Mater towing business, at yer service! Name's Mater, like 'tuh-mater,' but it don't got dah 'tuh' in it!" He extended a dirty and worn hand to the younger man. "Whas yer name son? Did yah break down?"

Hudson shook his hand. "The name's Hudson. And yes, I did break down, about an hour ago," he said, a little ashamed that he, a veteran racer, broke down and didn't know what to do.

Mater puffed a little laugh. "Pft, shoot, what're yah doin' all the way out here anyways? Git lost or somethin'?"

"No. Decided to take the long way, for old times' sake."

"Ah yeah buddy, well, yah' gotta make sure yer car can make it if yer gonna try that!"

Hudson grumbled in frustration. "I _know_ that. My car has been reliable, until now, it figures…"

Mater slapped a hand on Hudson's shoulder and laughed. "Well dontcha worry, I'll give yah' a tow back intah' town."

"There's a town around here?"

"Well, where'd yah think I came from? Course' der's a town! Just'a few miles from 'ere."

Hudson sighed in relief and wiped his brow. "Thank you, Mater. Let me get my things picked up and I'll be ready to go."

Hudson packed the toolbox back up and loaded it back into the trunk. Mater quickly hooked the Hornet up to the tow truck and prepared it for the haul back to town. Hudson made a quick check to make sure Mater secured everything properly, then hopped into the passenger seat. Mater started up his old truck again and slowly started to head back, towing the Hornet behind him.

"Is there a place in town to get it repaired?" Hudson asked. "I've got to get to California soon."

"Oh yeah, Ramone will fix 'er up for yah, don' worry 'bout it!"

"Good. Thank you."

"Anytime," Mater said as he swerved out of the way of a tumbleweed in the road. Hudson looked back at his car, to assure himself it was okay. Mater looked at Hudson and sniffed.

"A nice car yah' got der'," Mater said as he pulled into town.

"Yeah, yeah," Hudson said, looking back ahead again. What he saw next completely shocked him. This was the town? Were they here already? No. It couldn't be. It was an old, run down dead town. It looked as if it had been frozen in time from the 1950's. It was rusted, worn, and aged, though it had a unique and special feeling to it. It looked like a ghost town, in Hudson's honest opinion. Some of the buildings outside of town were crumbling and falling apart. Old signs saying "70% sale," or "We're closing" were littered across the ground by the old shops. It was completely quiet, and the only sound Hudson could hear was the rumble of Mater's old truck. Hudson couldn't believe his eyes. At the end of the town stood a tall brick courthouse, and behind that was a tall, radiator-shaped rock with two white letters written in the stone: "RS"

"Welcome to Radiator Springs!" Mater exclaimed. "The cutest little town in Carburetor County!"


	11. Radiator Springs

**Radiator Springs**

Sheriff leaned against his 1949 Mercury Cruiser, sipping a cup of coffee in the shade under the gas station's roof. He scratched at the bandage on his arm as it irritated him. He had nothing else to do anyway… It was a quiet, peaceful morning, just the way he liked it. He barely had anything to do as sheriff of Carburetor County. The name wasn't even on the map anymore. Nobody even knew the town still existed. He sighed, checking his watch. It was only noon. He thought more time had passed, but apparently not. As sheriff took another sip of his coffee, he heard an engine from down the road. He knew Mater was going to the rest stop by the highway to buy some groceries, but he didn't know Mater would be back so quickly.

"Looks like Ma-"

"-customer!" Yelled the waitress behind Sheriff. "I see a customer!" She headed back into her diner to get things fixed up if the customer was going to stay for a meal.

"Flo!" Sheriff barked. "It's just Mater!" He sighed and looked down the road. For a moment, the sheriff thought he was seeing things, but when he focused on Mater's truck, he realized it was actually towing a dirty blue car. There _was_ a customer after all. Flo came back out, "Where is he?" She asked.

"It was Mater," Sheriff started, "but he's towing someone's fancy car. I bet he has the driver with him."

"I heard something about a fancy car?" Asked someone who came up behind the sheriff. He had tanned skin and his arms were both covered in fancy, pinstriped tattoos. Ramone was his name. He put his hands in his pockets and stood next to sheriff, watching as the two truck neared closer to the gas station. "Ah man, he's towing someone!" The Latino man said. "Dang, that's one nice car he's got there! Looks like a Hornet to me!"

"A Hornet?" Sheriff asked. "I haven't seen one of those in _years."_

Mater slowly pulled into the gas station, careful not to scratch the Hornet as they came in. He turned the key and shut off the rusty old truck, then opened the door. Hudson did the same on the other side, and hopped down, coming around to the front where the little crowd of people was standing.

"Lookie 'ere what I found!" Mater exclaimed. "I haven't towed a car in years, shoot, today must be my lucky day!" He chuckled and playfully elbowed Hudson next to him, who did not seem as thrilled as the man who towed him. Hudson sighed and looked back at his car.

"What's your name, traveler?" Sheriff asked.

"Hudson," he said, turning to face the sheriff again.

"Hudson, huh? Well, nice to meet you," he extended a hand, "name's Michael, though folks around here like to call me Sheriff."

Hudson shook the man's hand and then looked back at his car…

"What happened to that mighty-fine car of yours anyways? She shouldn't be havin' problems."

"Well she's got a lot of miles," Hudson stated very clearly, almost in a frustrated tone. He just wanted to get to California.

"So what _did_ happen to it, dude?" Ramone asked, arms crossed. He started to walk around the Hornet, evaluating the 'damage.' He walked a full circle around the car and the tow truck, then came back around, unfolding his arms so he could shake Hudson's hand. "Oh. The name is Ramone, by the way," he said. "I'll be fixin' up your ride for you."

Hudson shook his hand. "I don't know what happened to it. I was driving, something started to sound weird, and then it made a pop and exploding sound. There was some smoke coming out of the exhaust after that."

Ramone stroked his thin mustache. "Hmm. Man, I wonder if chu' blown a gasket or somethin', I'll take it to the shop and have a look…Mater! Bring the Hornet over to the shop, and I'll have a look at her."

"Sure thing Ramone!" Mater swiftly hopped back into his truck and started it up. It was easy to tell that Mater loved his job. If only he got to do it more often… Ramone opened the garage to his shop and then looked across the way at Hudson again. "Hey man, what year is it!?" He called from across the street at his place.

"She's a '51," Hudson replied bluntly. Someone tapped his shoulder, and Hudson turned around.

"The name's Flo, sugar. Welcome to Radiator Springs. Can I get yah' something to eat?" Flo asked as she handed Hudson a menu. "Sit down, take a break, you've been on the road for a long time if you made it all the way out here."

Hudson didn't even have time to open his mouth before Flo sat him down on one of the mint-green barstools inside her 50's-themed diner. "I've got the finest food on Route 66! You just sit down and relax now."

"Oh, really ma'am, I think I better go make sure Ramone knows everything he needs to if he's going to work on my ca—"

"—oh, dontchu' worry about Ramone, my husband is one of the finest mechanics around! He'll get your Hornet running in no time."

"That was your husband?"

"You got that right, sugar," Flo just laughed a little.

Sheriff wandered back into the cafe, as Flo poured him a glass of water. "Well, they've got your car in the shop now, so that's good. Just give Ramone some time and he'll have you up and running again," Sheriff took the barstool next to Hudson, and took a swig of his drink. "So where yah' heading, Hudson?"

"California," he replied. "I'm trying to get there by Friday."

"And you decided to take Route 66?" Flo asked, laughing a little. "Isn't the interstate faster?"

"I wanted to ride some of it for old times' sake."

"I wish everybody wanted to do that," Sheriff chimed in.

Hudson looked at Sheriff next to him and again noticed the bandage. He wondered how the man had gotten the injury. The 'doctor' inside Hudson was driving him insane. He needed to know what it was. Hudson finally pointed to Sheriff's arm and raised an eyebrow. "Did you get hurt? That's a pretty big bandage."

"Oh," Sheriff was caught off guard but looked down at his arm. "I walked through an old piece of barbed-wire," he sighed.

"Did you have it looked at?"

"No, the doctor left after the interstate was built."

"Hmm."

"—Alright, wait no more!" Flo interrupted, bringing Hudson his meal. "I've got the best hamburger in town," she set it in front of him, "With a side of fresh fries and a soda, of course! Now don't get too full, you've still got dessert!" She raced back into the kitchen so fast that Hudson didn't even have the chance to thank her. Hudson started to eat and thought to himself as he did. He had only known Mater, Flo, Ramone, and Sheriff for at least a half an hour. Yet, they were some of the friendliest people Hudson had even met in his entire _lifetime._ Why was that? Hudson didn't know. As soon as Hudson laid eyes on Flo, she instantly reminded him of his mother. She was warm, caring, motherly, and always going above and beyond to help a friend out. Sheriff reminded him of his older brother. He was quiet but smart and thoughtful… The memories stung at Hudson's heart once again. He didn't want to think about them, but it was hard not to when the little town reminded him so much of his own home. He knew he needed to leave soon.

"How's it taste, honey?" Flo asked as she came back to the counter. She handed Sheriff a burger and fries as well, the supplied him with a napkin and a refill on his water. Flo was one of the fastest waitresses Hudson had ever seen. Hudson snapped out of his thoughts, and looked at her, "O-oh, it's very, very good," Hudson complimented. "I really like it. Thank you."

Anytime, sugar. You let me know if you want anything else with it.

The door chimed as it opened, and two more customers walked in. There, standing in the door was a tall, muscular blonde man, in a pair of bulky firefighter pants and overalls. His arm was linked with a thin, middle-aged woman. She looked to be able sixty years old. She wore a long, grey dress, styled with a ruffled-floral design around the collar and sleeves. Hudson glanced at them. He hadn't met them yet, but they didn't seem to be travelers according to the way Flo greeted them.

"Ah, there she is!" Flo exclaimed. "Come on over Lizzie! I've got someone for you to meet!" She waved at the man, "Hello Red!" She said to the man who was escorting the young woman. The man waved quietly but didn't speak a word.

"Who's this?!" Lizzie smacked Hudson upside the head, and he jolted forward, almost spitting his food up all over the counter. He cupped a hand over his mouth, eyes wide in surprise.

He slowly turned around and looked at the woman. He raised his eyebrows in a 'Hello? What was that for?' fashion as he continued to chew, hand cupped over his mouth. Hudson slowly swallowed and extended a hand. "I'm Hudson," he said softly.

"Hudson? Haven't seen you around here before." She shook his hand.

"My car broke down, ma'am."

Lizzie crossed her arms. "Hmpf. Well, it seems that Flo is treating our guests right. I'm glad you could stay with us for a little while. My name is Lizzie," she pointed at the tall man next to her. "This is Red. Well, his name is Joseph, but you can call him Red. He's the town firefighter. You'll see his beautiful engine down by the courthouse if you ever would like to stop by."

Hudson shook Red's hand. "Pleasure to meet you Red."

Red just smiled shyly and shook Hudson's hand back. Hudson didn't know why he didn't say anything, but he just shrugged it off. Maybe Red was just shy.

"When did you get here?" Lizzie asked, getting closer to Hudson and invading his personal space.

Hudson backed up slightly, then clasped his hands together after he put his napkin on the table. "Just a couple hours ago," he said, scooting away a little bit more. "Ramone is trying to figure out what's wrong with my car, then he'll let me know."

"Ahhhg," Lizzie huffed. "Why are kids these days in such a _rush?_ Don't they know how nice it feels just to slow down for a little while?" She shook her head, and then put a gentle hand on Hudson's shoulder. Hudson still flinched. "You should just take a deep breath, you spring chicken. You're in Radiator Springs. Enjoy the quiet time and take in the view."

Hudson looked at her quietly, not knowing how to reply. She did have a point, but Hudson knew he would be leaving as soon as the car was complete. "Thank you," he said. "I suppose I'll think about it."

"Don't think about it too fast," Lizzie giggled and sat down as Flo cleared Hudson and Sheriff's leftover dishes off the counter.

Sheriff thanked Flo, then took a deep breath and ran a hand down his face. Hudson traced his finger along the grooves on his soda bottle, trying to ignore Lizzie on his right and Sheriff on his left. He was slouched and closed off. Sheriff didn't know much about human behavior or body behavior, but he could tell that Hudson did not want to talk. Sheriff tapped his finger on the counter, and then looked at Hudson. "Hey, why don't you come for a little walk around town? You can meet the other residents."

"There are _more_ people living here?" Hudson asked, perplexed.

"You betcha," Sheriff said, standing and putting his hands on his utility belt. "Let's go, come on. You gotta kill the time somehow. There's a great group of people around here. We'll go across the street and meet Guido and Luigi. I'm surprised they didn't come out and see you earlier. Maybe they're busy."

"Are they shy?" Hudson asked.

"Not usually. Let's go find out."


	12. Residents

**Residents**

Hudson followed Sheriff across the street to a faded white and brick building with green awnings. A tower of tires was stacked outside the front, slightly leaning, resembling the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Hudson chuckled inwardly at the sight. There were lots of tires outside the shop. There were tires for all seasons, all terrains, and plenty of brands. Hudson didn't even recognize half the brands. They must have been imported.

"GUIDO! LUIGI!" Sheriff yelled, knocking on the door to the store.

There was scuffling inside and then the garage door opened. There were tires _all over_ the floor, the shelves, and countertops.

"Oh, no oh no!" Luigi exclaimed, "Oh Guido, why you open the large door?! Now everyone see in! The tires! Everywhere!" He exclaimed dramatically. It made Hudson stifle a chuckle. Sheriff noticed the chuckle and smiled lightly as he elbowed Hudson. "You'll get a kick out of these tw—"

"—Abbiamo un cliente!" Guido interrupted and barked at his friend. He was in a blue long sleeve shirt, with a pair of old-fashioned corduroy overalls over them. Atop his head, a worn newsboy cap covered up his soft brown hair.

"We have a client?…" Luigi turned around and saw Sheriff and another unfamiliar man standing at the door. "O-oh I am so so so sorry!" Luigi ran over. He was dressed in a pair of brown trousers and a white button up shirt. Overtop his shirt was a soft, lemon-yellow sweater. Nestled under the collar of the sweater was a crisp, grey bowtie. His dark black hair was slicked, combed and clean, and his small mustache was well groomed.

"We are annually spring cleaning!" Luigi said. "We do not want our clients to see us like this! We are so, so sorry. Guido give you a set of tires on us, just for the trouble, you remind me," Luigi said in his thick Italian accent. He looked at Hudson. "And who are you?" He asked.

"Name's Hudson."

"His car had a little trouble," Sheriff chimed in, "Ramone is having a look at it. I figured I'd give him a tour around town until the car is finished."

"Oh oh, yes yes yes, I see!" Luigi exclaimed. He called his little friend Guido over. The smaller man approached Hudson. He frowned up at him but extended a hand.

"Guido," he simply stated, standing tall and sternly. He wasn't very intimidating, in fact, he was more cute than intimidating.

"Nice to meet you," Hudson shook his hand and return, "…eh, Guido…"

There was a brief pause in the conversation, but with Guido and Luigi around, it wasn't long before the taller man dressed in a yellow sweater piped up to talk. "You need tires?" Luigi asked.

"No, no thank you though," Hudson said. "I just got a new pair of white walls before coming out here."

Guido and Luigi's expressions dropped rapidly. They did _not_ look impressed. "You put white walls on your car," Luigi started, "just to drive across Route 66 in the dirt? Oh, those poor tires," he said, slumping sadly. "Those poor, poor tires." He put his face in his hands, continually shaking his head.

Guido stood next to him, and patted his back, to remind Luigi to cheer up, then said something to Luigi in Italian. Luigi nodded, then looked back at Hudson. "Guido says if you want no tire, he wash _your_ tires."

"Ok," Hudson shrugged. He could care less. Tires were the least of his concern, as long as they didn't pop. "Thank you."

"Any day, anytime, well, maybe now is not a good time. Good to meet you, Mr. Hudson!" He waved to Hudson and then ran back into the store to help Guido as a stack of tires fell. They rolled and bounced across the floor. Sheriff started to laugh out loud. Hudson smiled. "They're characters," he said.

"You got that right, Hudson. They're always in a rush, going somewhere, or doing something… Come on now, we'll go meet Sarge and Fillmore." Sheriff started walking, and Hudson followed after him, like a lost puppy.

"How many of you guys live here?"

"Well, including me, ten of us."

Hudson nodded in a quiet reply, as he and Sheriff headed down to the surplus hut down the way…

Sheriff crossed the road about half way and pointed to the Surplus Hut. Hudson chuckled a little bit and followed the sheriff as he stepped inside the building.

"Sarge?" He called out. "We've got a visitor, Ramone is fixing up his car. You around?" Sheriff looked around for Sarge inside his warehouse. Hudson looked around as well, though he didn't really know what he was looking for.

"Yes," said a voice from behind the two. Sheriff and Hudson jumped in surprise. They turned around, and sure enough, Sarge stood in the doorway, standing as straight as an arrow. His arms were tucked behind his back, and his head was held perfectly level. He looked about ten years older than Hudson. Sarge was dressed in a pair of olive-green pants, and a tight, tan shirt. He had a heavy-duty tactical belt around his waist and a stern expression on his face.

"You scared me, Sarge," Sheriff put his hands on his hips and chuckled. "This is the kid I was just talking about. His name is Hudson."

Hudson extended a hand and Sarge shook it. "Good to meet you," Sarge said. Hudson nodded in reply, then looked around the store as Sarge stood in silence…

…a few more moments passed in silence. Now Hudson could just feel it getting awkward.

"Well, is that all?" Sarge asked in a monotone pitch. Hudson seemed taken aback by Sarge's reply, so he looked to Sheriff in hopes that he would answer.

"I guess so!…" Sheriff sighed and lead Hudson out. "Thanks for meeting him, Sarge!" He placed a hand on Hudson's back and then headed for the hippie-tent next door.

"Don't worry, he'll warm up to you, he just doesn't really like to talk."

"Well, neither do I so that's understandable," Hudson said.

"I noticed that," Sheriff added before he opened the gate to the colorful, tie-dye tent that was set before them.

Fillmore instantly pulled back the beaded braid-strands that hung from the doorframe of his tent and stepped forward. He was sure a special person. He wore a long sleeve green t-shirt with a rainbow across the front and denim bell-bottom pants. He had soft, brown eyes and jaw-length blonde, shaggy hair. Parked outside his tent was a mint-green, Volkswagen Bus. Painted on it were clouds, rainbows, roads, stars, and peace signs. The car looked like a hippie-mobile. Hudson tried not to laugh when he saw the bumped stickers littered all over the car…

"FLOWER POWER!"

"Take a drive on the wild side"

"Got Solar?"

"I brake for jackalopes"

Hudson extended a hand when "Fillmore" came over.

"I'm Hudson."

"Hey man, I heard about you dude."

Hudson felt his heart start to race. Where did he hear about him? In the paper? On the news? Did people know where he was already? "O-oh…?" Hudson asked curiously, as Fillmore shook his hand.

"Yeah man, I saw Mater tow your car by my place and he came by and told me about it after he dropped you off," he said, slurring his words and swaying a little when he spoke.

Hudson sighed in relief. "Oh, yes, Ramone is looking at my car right now and I should be leaving by tonight."

Fillmore shook his head, and slowly put an arm around Hudson. He lead Hudson towards a few gas tanks sitting outside his tent. Sheriff stood back and watched, chuckling deeply to himself.

"Let me show you this, man," Fillmore pointed to the cans. "See these? All organic. Homemade. I made them right around the back of this tent."

Hudson raised an eyebrow, stiffening in discomfort when Fillmore put an arm around him. Hudson did not enjoy having his personal-space bubble popped. "O-okay?"

"Yeah man. If you want a tank of organic fuel, you can get them here, and then put it in the trunk of your car if you run out, man. It's better for the environment, and your car dude."

Hudson smiled nervously, stepping to the side, away from Fillmore by just an extra foot or two."O-oh, I don't think I need any fuel, but thank you for the offe—"

"—I'll make you a better deal, man," Fillmore insisted. "You buy one can of fuel, and I'll give two dollars of that money to an environmental conservation foundation. "Like GreenPe—"

"—thank you, but no thank you," Hudson couldn't help but smile. Fillmore was already hilarious. Sheriff came over to Fillmore and handed him a twenty-dollar bill. "I'll take a can for my car. Bring it to the courthouse by noon tomorrow.

Fillmore's face lit up with delight. "You got it, Sheriff, I'll bring it tomorrow. Thanks, dudes."

Hudson shook Fillmore's hand once more and then waved goodbye as he followed Sheriff back out of the hippie's plot of land. "That guy is funny," Hudson told Sheriff, chuckling a little.

"Why do you think he had to set up shop all the way at the end of town?" Sheriff laughed.

"That's a good point," Hudson added as he shook his head. "That was funny."

"We'll take yah' over to Lizzie's place now. You can see her little gift shop… It's been there since the late 1910's, I'd say…"

Sheriff walked back up towards the front of town with Hudson at a slow pace. He wanted so badly to ask why Hudson was going out to California, but he also felt uncomfortable asking about it. It wasn't his place to be asking things like that, but maybe it was worth a shot in the end… What did he have to lose? Once Hudson's car was fixed, he'd never see him again. Sheriff looked over at Hudson as they walked. "So what do you do? Do you have a job?" He asked.

"I'm going to California to look for one," Hudson said shortly.

"Huh, all the way to California just to find work? Is it really that bad out in the east?"

"I guess so."

Sheriff frowned a little. Those were not there replies he wanted, so he continued to ask.

"So, what are your hobbies? Is there anything you really enjoy doing? Besides being the sheriff, I also enjoy writing."

"Huh, I wish I was a better writer," Hudson added, avoiding the question in the beginning. When he looked up at Sheriff, he realized the man still wanted an answer.

"I…" Hudson paused. "I like to read."

"Reading is good, good indeed," Sheriff kicked a stone off the barren road as he walked. "Maybe you can read what I write," he laughed.

Hudson smiled but did not answer Sheriff as they approached Lizzie's store. In front of Hudson was an old, rickety, wooden store. There was a big sign outside, and it big painted letters it said, "HERE IT IS," with a flat painting of an old Ford Model-T next to the writing. There were little signs posted all over the porch of the store, with quirky and clever statements. The main sign above the store was painted in a fading yellow, with writing that read, "RADIATOR SPRINGS CURIOS" in tall red letters. Hudson followed Sheriff up the old rickety steps into the store. Sheriff pulled the door open and a bell clanged when he did. The shop owner, Lizzie, jolted a little and looked up. She had been napping at the front counter. When she saw it was Hudson and Sheriff, and raised an eyebrow. "Well, now look who's back. Did you enjoy meeting Fillmore and Sarge?"

"I suppose so. Fillmore was definitely interesting…"

"Yes," Lizzie replied quietly.

Sheriff came over and leaned on the counter next to Lizzie. Hudson wandered around the store, looking at the unique trinkets and treasures.

"You should tell him about the town, you know, and Stanley. He deserves to know a little town history before he goes," Sheriff said out loud for Hudson to hear. Hudson came to the counter. "Where _is_ Stanley?" He asked.

Lizzie shrugged. "He passed away about twenty years ago," she said gently. "He was the sweetest man you'd ever meet," she said. Hudson wasn't a fan of story-time, but they had already helped him so much, the least he could do was show some respect for the town and its history.

"Oh?" Hudson asked in curiosity. He knew Lizzie would probably keep talking if he at least showed some interest.

"He came here back in the early, early 1900s. There was a natural spring here. Crisp, cool water," she adjusted her glasses and looked at Hudson. "The radiators on those old cars would always heat up, so the people used the cool water from the spring to cool the cars' radiators."

"So that's how you got the name, Radiator Springs?" Hudson asked.

"Yes," Lizzie began to giggle. "You figured that all out on your own, yes?"

Hudson flashed a smile and then fiddled with a row of key chains on the counter. "So he stayed here and made a town?"

"He founded it and slowly started developing the town. He finished the main set of buildings around 1916, but of course, things were always being improved through the years. It has a lot of charm to it. Over fifty years of love and history has been poured into this place. This is home for me, no matter what everyone else says."

"How did you meet Stanley?" Hudson asked curiously, after a moment of silence.

"I was driving through, on my way to Texas. My car broke down and Stanley let me stay in town until it was fixed. Oh, he really knew how to treat a girl," she said dreamily. "He spoiled me while I was here. He paid for my car repair, and took me out to dinner every night! I suppose the rest was history," Lizzie shook her head and smiled.

"Well ain't that a perfect love story," Hudson gave her a smirk. "I appreciate you taking some time to tell us about Radiator Springs," he said. When Hudson opened his mouth again, he realized that he was genuinely thankful for Lizzie and the others. He didn't feel that his thank you was "robotic" or "unsympathetic." It felt real. "It's very kind of you to open your doors and be so welcoming."

"We always have been, dear," Lizzie smiled and gave Hudson a playful bump on the shoulder, "let us know if you need anything. Now, an old lady needs her beauty-naps, shoo-shoo boys." She gave the two young men a wave. Sheriff and Hudson headed out and quickly went back down the stairs and onto the street once again.

"Hey," Hudson said, trying to quickly get Sheriff's attention. "Can I go thank Mater for the tow?" He asked.

"Sure," Sheriff put a hand on his shoulder and started walking back down the road, towards Sarge and Fillmore's places. "I'll come with yah."

Hudson walked next to Sheriff and took a deep breath. "Thanks again."


	13. Dinner at Flo's

**(Hey guys! I'm so sorry, I wrote this about a month ago and forgot to post it. It's a short one! Since school has started, I've been very busy and haven't had time to do a lot of extra things, so expect updates to be much slower than they were in the summer. I apologize. I still have the whole plot written out and all I have to do is write it, so it won't be that difficult but I appreciate your patience!)**

 **Dinner at Flo's**

By the time Hudson had finished speaking with Mater, it was nearing dinnertime. Sheriff advised him that they should probably head back in order to make it in time for Flo's dinner special. She always treated the residents to free dinner, _unless_ they came after 5:30 PM. Flo moved three tables together to fit everyone for the dinner. As everyone gathered around to spend time with each other, Ramone slinked over to Hudson quietly and tapped his shoulder.

"Hey, Hudson dude." He flagged the young man down.

"Yes?" Hudson replied.

"Man, I've been looking at da car you got, and man, it's got a blown head gasket man! It's gunna take me two days, **tops,** to fix it up, man."

"What? Two days?!" Hudson asked, appalled. "I don't have two days! I have to get to California by Friday!"

"Sorry man there's nuthin' dat I can do about it! Flo will getchu a room at the Cozy Cone." He gave Hudson a pat on the back and then took a seat at the table.

Hudson took a seat next to Sheriff, and Flo brought out all the food. Hudson still couldn't understand why these people were so different. It was like a little family. None of them were related, but they had been together so long, and they were all so close. Hudson wanted that. He wanted a family, and people to love and care for, just like these people had cared about him. He tried not to think about it too much. Hudson leaned back in his chair as Sheriff started chatting with him. Now, he just got to relax.

Halfway through dinner, Ramone piped up. "So, Hudson's car blew a gasket. He's gunna be staying here for a few days, sorry Hudson." He waved at him.

"I don't have a choice," Hudson sighed, and Flo interrupted him. "Oh, honey, don't worry, I'll get you a room at the Cozy Cone and you'll be snug as a bug!"

"T-thanks…" Hudson said, clearly upset about having to stay.

When dinner was finished and the sun went down, Red turned on the neon for the shops and stores. Everyone headed out to the front of Flo's, before going back to their places for the night.

Hudson stepped out of the diner. He stopped after only taking a few steps. His jaw just about dropped to the ground when he got a first glance at the neon lights scattered through the town. Bright green, pink, red, yellow, and purple lights lit up the town in a color neon spectacle. It brought Hudson right back to the memories in the 1950s. He couldn't help but flash a small smile.

Flo noticed, "Well, well, yah like the neon?"

"Yes, ma'am. Brings back some good memories."

"Well, we better show you the Cozy Cone. It's adorable." She led him down the street just a small distance away and headed into the rounded courtyard of orange traffic-cone buildings. Flo unlocked the first traffic cone-shaped room. Each one was a little place to lodge in. She opened the door, "here you are, cone number one."

Ramone also followed Flo over to the cone and brought Hudson's suitcase from his car. "Here are your things, I figured you might need that stuff" he laughed. "Goodnight," Ramone waved to Hudson and closed the door for him. Hudson waved, and then started to get ready for bed. He unzipped his suitcase and unpacked his things quietly, as thoughts ran through his head…

 _Why can't I have a family like this? Why can't I be loved and cared for like this everyday?_

 _Shut up Hudson, you had that opportunity and you left it behind,_ he said in reply to his thoughts.

 _Why am I so selfish? Why did I leave? Why didn't I care? Why does this hurt so bad?_

Hudson's eyes began to fill with tears. He didn't finish packing; he didn't even put on a pair of comfy clothes. Hudson rubbed at his deep, heavy eyes and gently laid down on his bed, weeping softly. Thousands of thoughts ran through Hudson's mind, until it was just too much to even think about. It wasn't long until Hudson fell asleep quietly under his covers.


	14. Doc

**Doc**

Hudson awoke the next morning with swollen, red eyes. Sure, he had slept over nine hours but his crying from the previous night had dragged him down, and worn him out. The crisp, cold air rushed into Hudson's room as he opened the door to head out. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and started heading towards Ramone's. Ramone was an early riser, who prepared his shop and had everything ready to open by 5 AM. Because, of course, people needed their cars painted at such an ungodly hour of the morning… Hudson chuckled a little and stepped inside, speaking with a hoarse voice.

"Good morning."

Ramone turned around from his pile of paint cans he was organizing and smiled up at the young man. "Heeeey, good morning man! We thought chu' was never gonna get up."

Hudson blushed a shade of red, "No, no, here I am," he said in embarrassment. Before he could open his mouth to ask about his car, Mater trotted in.

"G'mornin' folks!" He shouted in a cheerful and excited tone. "I see Hudson finally showed up," he put a hand on Hudson's shoulder and gave him a playful push. Hudson stumbled and turned red again.

"Yeah, but I'm here no-"

"SAY," Mater interrupted, looking at the paint cans that Ramone had put to the side. "Is that there a fancy eggshell white?"

"Oh yeah," Ramone replied, then waved a paintbrush in the air. "Goin' old-school. Gotta paint our fence. Flo wants it done."

"Awhm, speaking of Flo, she sent me here to tell yah that there's sum breakfast ready for everyone."

"I'll be right over," Hudson said politely.

"Well you better come soon or I'm gonna eat it all!" Mater laughed and headed off to breakfast.

All was quiet for a moment as Mater trotted away. "So," Hudson started, as Ramone finished up the last of his organizing. "How's my car coming along?"

"Still got some work to do man," Ramone replied. "Don't worry about it, Ramone's got it under control," he pointed to himself. "Now chu' just enjoy your time in Radiator Springs."

Hudson quietly scoffed and rolled his eyes when Ramone looked away. "See you at breakfast." He turned and left the shop.

When breakfast ended, Hudson helped Flo pick up the dishes and even washed them for her. He stayed quiet but still wanted to help if it was possible. He hoped it would make the time go by faster too.

"Honey, that's so sweet of you to help," Flo put a hand on Hudson's shoulder.

"It's nothing, I don't mind," Hudson said softly.

"Do you think you could do me another favor, well, do Sheriff a favor?" She pointed out the window. Sheriff was balancing on the edge of a ladder, trying to reach the corner of the window. He had a spray bottle and a cloth in his hands as he stretched up to wipe off the water.

"You're taller than Sheriff," Flo said. "Maybe you can help him wash those windows?"

Hudson nodded and ran out the door… "Hey! Need some help?" He asked, grabbing hold of the ladder before it could tip over, with Sheriff standing on top.

"O-oh!" Sheriff looked down and sighed. "I can't reach the top of these windows, maybe you could get it for me?"

Hudson looked up at him, but his eyes were quickly drawn to a bandage that was wrapped around Sheriff's arm as he climbed off the ladder.

Hudson got onto the ladder and started wiping down the window. "What happened to your arm?" He asked as he started on the second pane of the window.

"Oh, I hurt my arm on a piece of barbed wire… Nasty stuff, you can't see it until it's already stuck in your skin! There's a lot of that old stuff out in the desert."

Hudson looked down at Sheriff, then stepped off the ladder after finishing the window. "Is it bad? I could look at it for you. I went to medical school…"

"But are you a doctor?" Sheriff asked.

Hudson nodded. "I am, actually. Is it infected or anything? Did you bandage it properly?"

Sheriff shook his head. "All I did was wrap it."

Hudson sighed. "Theeen it's probably infected."

"I'll get the first aid kit from my car," the sheriff said as he headed off. He quickly jogged back and gave it to Hudson. The kit looked like it was at _least_ twenty years old, but Hudson could make it work… The young doctor made him sit on the ladder step as he unwrapped the wound and prepared to redress it. It was quiet for a few moments but Sheriff tried to start up a conversation with his new friend.

"So… where are you from Hudson?"

"The South."

"Ah, I see. I'm from Texas."

Hudson didn't reply but instead asked another question. "What happened to the doctor here?"

Sheriff watched Hudson as he got out a little jar of a healing cream. "Well, after the town died he just left, went somewhere to get more business I guess. We're on our own out here… We've been looking for someone to take the spot, well, if you were wanting to stay here for a longer period of time…"

No reply. Hudson dabbed the ointment on the sheriff's arm, which made him cringe a little, but Hudson reassured him that the ointment would help prevent any infections in the future. Sheriff agreed, slowly starting to realize that the quiet man was in no mood for sharing about his past, or talking in general… So Sheriff decided to wrap it up until another time.

"You make quite a good doc," Sheriff huffed. "Thanks, er," he stammered, "doc!"

"Anytime," Hudson said softly. He pulled out the bandage and began wrapping the arm gently. "If anyone else needs help, you just let me know…"

"You got it doc," Sheriff laughed a little, and Hudson just made face.

"Is that what you're going to call me now?"

"Well, why not, Doc?" Sheriff pushed at his arm, but Hudson stood and shook his head.

"I'll have to think about that one. For now, you can just call me Hudson like I said."

"Alright alright, was just playing with yah', silly." Sheriff snorted and stood up. "Now, come on, we gotta finish these windows for Flo before noon…"

Hudson took a deep breath and exhaled in a slow manner. "Alright." He stayed quiet for a few minutes, washing the windows quietly to himself before he finally turned his head to Sheriff once again.

"You know what, maybe 'Doc' doesn't sound so bad after all…"

Sheriff piped up. "I knew you'd come around!"


	15. History

**History**

Later in the day, Mater stopped by as Hudson and Sheriff finished the windows.

Mater called out, "Hey there, Sheriff!"

"Howdy there, Mater!" Sheriff wiped his hands off as the tow truck operator scuffed his feet in the dirt.

Sheriff pointed to Hudson. "Guess what we're calling the new kid now?"

"Oh, he's got a name, does he?"

"I always have had a name…" Hudson tried to speak but was interrupted.

"We're calling him Doc now! Ya' know, he used to be a doctor, and look," Sheriff extended his neatly bandaged arm, "and he fixed my arm up! Isn't that nice?"

"Aw, shoot! I didn't know you was a doctor!" Mater exclaimed, "Well, 'Doc,'" he smiled. "I came here to ask somethin'...Yah up for a little drive?"

"Where to...?" Hudson asked quietly.

Mater clapped his hands together. "Der's a nice place up the mountain, an old motel of ours. Quick trip, up 'n back down!"

Hudson hesitated. "Alright."

Mater pointed to his tow truck. "What are we waiting for? Les' go!" He excitedly bounded off to the tow truck. Hudson followed, hands in his pockets. He climbed into the passenger seat as Mater turned the engine over. The truck started up the road, past the shops and the courthouse, towards the mountains ahead. "Hope you don' git carsick," Mater said, as he gestured to the windy road ahead.

Hudson breathed a sigh of relief as Mater parked atop the mountain. Driving with Mater could make anyone sick. He burped and tried to hide his nauseousness from Mater. Mater pointed at the hotel next to them. In front of the men sat a half-wheel shaped building, carved into the stone mountain. It had a small entrance in the middle of the "wheel," with two gas pumps under its awning. Judging by its small size, Hudson guessed its capacity was around thirty. "Very unique," Hudson stepped towards the motel. "What happened to this place?" He asked. The motel loomed above him, with colored stone now sunbaked from years of neglect. Hudson could image families staying for the night, cars parked outside, the laughter, chatter, and delightful sunsets from a motel overlooking the most beautiful sight: Ornament Valley. As Hudson extended his view down into the valley, Mater pointed. "See Radiator Springs down there? We've come a long way!"

"Yeah…" Hudson said softly, eyes fixed upon the valley. "Why does nobody work here?"

"Nobody wants tah' stay here. Outta' business," Mater said.

"Why?" Hudson asked.

"Well…" Mater pointed to a large strip of road which cut through the bumpy mountains in a straight line. "That's the interstate. It's new, and only a few years old. It's faster though, by 'bout fifteen minutes. It's straight, safer, and easier."

"So?"

"Well, Radiator Springs used tah' be important. These folks used tah' rely on the town for fuel, lodging, a warm meal, medical assistance..."

"Is there an exit on the interstate for the town?" Hudson asked.

"Yeah, don't mean they use it though. Easier tah' just go straight through."

"To the next town?" Hudson asked.

Mater nodded. "Radiator Springs was forgotten. Abandoned. Bypassed by n' interstate." He pointed to the road again. "People used to go on road trips tah' have a good time. Radiator Springs was part of the adventure. I dunno what happened to that. Everyone's inna' rush now."

Hudson watched the little cars move across the interstate. "Isn't that the truth…" He said softly. "So…it's a ghost town…why didn't you guys leave?"

Mater shook his head, almost appalled by Hudson's words. "Leave? How can yah? A town dat Stanley put all his time intah' makin', Lizzie at his side. And all dem' good-hearted folk 'ere. This is our town and our home. We can't just leave! We're a family."

Mater and Hudson's gaze met as they looked at each other simultaneously. "Yah know something, Doc?" Mater asked.

"Hmm?"

"I believe, someday, we'll get its heyday back. It ain't over yet. Radiator Springs has still got life. Just needs tah be brought out again. Yah watch," he grinned ear-to-ear, "They'll be makin' memories again, havin' a good ol' time, smilin and watchin' the sunsets from this here Wheel Well Motel."

Hudson bit his lip, then gave Mater a nod. He admired Mater's optimism, no matter how impossible it might have been. The two stood at the edge of the hotel and overlooked the valley below. Hudson imagined the cars winding down route 66 for miles and miles. He imagined the feeling of relief that overcame weary travelers upon the sight of a town to rest at. He imagined Flo's diner, serving hungry guests, sharing stories over hamburgers and corn on the cob. "Where are you from?" "Where are you going?" The travelers would likely never meet again. But the memories made at Radiator Springs would never be forgotten.

Mater elbowed Hudson's side, which drew him out of the daydream. "I got one mo' place tah show yah." He gestured to the truck. The young doctor followed behind but found it difficult to turn his back on such a beautiful view, and the peaceful hotel. He took one last glance. "Let's go!" Mater called to his new friend. Hudson climbed into his seat and turned his eyes forward, to the road ahead.

"Onward we go," Mater added. Hudson raised an eyebrow but didn't object. When the tow truck reached the bottom of the mountain, Mater made a sharp left turn onto a dirt road. The truck shimmied and bumped around. Hudson grabbed the door handle to hang on.

"Did I startle yah'?" Mater asked as he struggled to keep his truck's wheels straight. Hudson was too busy hanging on to reply. Mater laughed out loud and continued down the rough dirt road. Eventually, a wooden picket fence appeared in the distance. Mater parked next to the fence and turned off the truck. He went around to the back of the truck, reached in, and pulled out a medium-sized ball.

"Where are we?" Asked Hudson.

"Oh, you'll see..." Mater led his new friend to the fence and lifted the latch on the gate. "After you," he gestured in a suspicious tone. Hesitantly, Hudson made his way inside. Mater followed as a smirk stretched across his face. Hudson looked ahead, only to see a herd of brown spotted cows.

"Cows?" He asked.

"Oh yeah!" Mater exclaimed. "We gon' do something fun, okay?" He kept the ball tucked behind him with one arm.

"I'm not sure I like your definition of fun..." Hudson stood behind Mater. He knew it wasn't a good idea to taunt creatures twice as strong as him.

"Well yah' see, we gon' pet these fellas. My gal, Clover is out 'ere somewhere."

"That's such a common cow name."

Mater led Hudson over to the herd of cows. "We take care of these gals out 'ere. There's one bull, his name is Frank," Mater snickered, "you don't wanna meet Frank."

"...is Frank nearby?"

Mater shrugged. "Ah, he's around."

Hudson stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. "If Frank is dangerous, and we're in Frank's space...why are we here!?" He remembered going to Lou's home, where he watched her jump the fence and provoke the cows just to be chased. She wanted the others to have fun too, so she made her friends do the same. Two cows chased Hudson and River, who climbed over the fence to safety just in time. They landed in a puddle of mud. Louise laughed for hours. She talked about it for years.

Mater gave Hudson a push. "You gotta live a little!" He said as he ran towards his bovine friends.

Hudson followed in a more hesitant manner. When they reached the cows, Mater stretched out his arm, still hiding the toy ball. More cows noticed the commotion and came to investigate. A few calves followed behind their mothers, hesitant about the new visitors.

"See? Ain't that bad…" Mater watched as Hudson reached out to pet one of the gentler cows.

"No, not bad…" Hudson lowered his voice as to not frighten the gentle giants away. He enjoyed stroking the back of the friendly creature. A few more came over, sniffing Hudson's jacket, and investigating the new smells. "Hello," he whispered as they approached.

"Now, watch this," Mater said. He sprinted off into the field, yelling "yeeeeeehooo!" as he went. He lifted the ball into the air and threw it with all of his might. Many of the cows turned around and began to follow him.

Hudson continued to pet the loyal cow that had stayed with him. Apparently, back scratches were more important than toys. Hudson was alright with that. He felt a sort of comfort, or maybe it was safety, with his new fuzzy friend. Mater continued to kick the ball for the cattle to chase until he tripped in a gopher hole and landed face first. A dozen cows stopped in their tracks, then circled around the fallen man. Hudson couldn't help but smile. Mater was self-entertaining; it didn't take much to make his day. When Mater stood up, he was covered in mud and grass, but he kept running. Hudson started to chuckle.

"Git out 'ere!" Mater yelled. "Come run, they wanna play catch!"

"Okay, okay." Hudson clapped his hands together as he started to jog. His new friend followed him into the field. Mater kicked the ball to Hudson, and he kicked it to the group of cows. They chased after it. Some kicked their rear legs in the air as a playful gesture. Hudson couldn't help but enjoy himself. He smiled, laughed, and played along with Mater. Both men slipped multiple times, leaving them covered in grass and dandelions. It didn't matter to Hudson or Mater. In fact, Hudson had hardly even noticed.

Sheriff pulled up next to the fence and spotted Mater's car. Apparently, Mater was already with the cows. Sheriff wanted to bring them treats: carrots. He lifted the bucket out of the car and stood at the gate. "Is that…" He whispered to himself. "Mater? Doc?" He shook his head, perplexed, as he watched the two run about in the field, covered in dirt. It was them, all right. Sheriff could hear Mater's voice from across the field, and Hudson was laughing: a genuine laugh. That shocked Sheriff most of all.

Sheriff made his way into the field and set the bucket of carrots down. The sound instantly drew the attention of all the cows. They came over to see what snacks were available. Hudson and Mater followed their gaze, which led to Sheriff. Standing with arms crossed, he chuckled deeply.

"Boy, you two had yourselves some fun, huh?" He asked.

Mater nodded. "Oh yah! Look at us! It was great! Right, Doc?"

"It was," Hudson quieted down, but flashed his smirk again.

"Sun's gonna be goin' down soon," Sheriff mentioned. "Might wanna get headin' back if I were you."

"You got it, Sheriff!" Mater stood tall, hands on his hips. However, his expression quickly changed from confidence to worry. Sheriff noticed. "Mater?… Are you alright?" Hudson and Sheriff followed Mater's gaze, which led right to a large bull, who made direct eye contact with the group.

"…Hey Doc…" Mater whispered.

"…Yeah…?"

"Thas' Frank." He said, then slowly backed away. Frank took a few steps closer.

"When I say go, we go," Mater said. "Ready…set…go…!" Mater turned and ran for the gate. Sheriff ran and Hudson followed up behind. Ever since the accident, Hudson could never run as fast, but that seemed to change the moment he ran for his life. Mater and Sheriff hopped the fence, then pulled Hudson over as he approached. Frank hadn't charged but made an effort to follow them to the gate.

"He's unpredictable," Sheriff added, short of breath.

"What a rush!" Mater exclaimed. Hudson touched his hip, which felt a bit sore. It had never healed properly. It acted up from time to time. "That was something…" He added.

"Hudson, want to come with me?" Sheriff asked. "We'll meet Mater back at Flo's? We're not far."

"Alright," Hudson nodded and took his place in the front seat of Sheriff's cruiser. Mater hopped in his truck and sped off down the road, kicking up dirt and dust as he went.

"You two will need a shower…" Sheriff shot Hudson a look. "So... yah' had fun?"

"Yeah, quite fun," Hudson said. "Went to, ehm, Wheel Well, was it?"

"Wheel Well Motel," Sheriff corrected. "Great little place."

Hudson nodded in agreement. "Unfortunate to hear what happened to the town, though. I wondered why it was so empty upon my arrival."

Sheriff let out a sigh. "Yeah, it'll probably never be the same again."

There was a moment of silence before Sheriff spoke up. "Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself in Radiator Springs."

Sheriff's comment reminded Hudson of his deadline: California by Friday. He wasn't going to make it. Hudson huffed. "Yeah," he replied bluntly. "I guess so."

Sheriff knew Hudson was frustrated. He understood that the young man had places to go. But for once, he had seen Hudson laugh, grin, and enjoy a moment of his life. Sheriff knew he needed to be patient with Hudson; he kept telling himself, don't worry. He'll lighten up. Sheriff sure hoped that he was right.


	16. Family

**Family**

Hudson and Mater went back to change before dinner. Sheriff stayed at Flo's and asked for another cup of coffee.

"Another, honey?" Flo laughed, "You're going to be up all night!"

"I know, I know." Sheriff sighed. "I guess I'll pass."

"Good choice," Flo winked. She sat across from Sheriff at the table, lit by the soft glow of green and pink neon.

"So, Mater and Hud' went to Wheel Well?" Flo asked.

"They sure did," Sheriff fidgeted with the empty coffee cup. "Mater told him about Radiator Springs and how we ended up in this condition."

"Mm," Flo hummed. "I wish we had some more customers…"

"I know, Flo," Sheriff sighed, then sat up straight. "Oh! You'll never believe this. I went out to drop off the carrots for the cows. You'll never guess, I found Hudson and Mater out there, throwing a ball back and forth. They were all playin', and Hudson was laughin'."

"Hudson? Laughing?" Flo raised her eyebrow. "You're lying."

"I'm not," Sheriff stated. "They were out, slippin' and slidin' in the grass, covered in dirt, but cackling too. It was great. Hudson rode home with me. He talked for a bit, but when I asked if he was enjoying his stay, he snapped right back into that attitude."

Flo sighed. "He's insecure; he's in a new place with new people."

"I don't know…" Sheriff squinted. "He seems lost, that's what. He's goin' out to California to look for a job, or at least he says so."

"He's a doctor, isn't he?" Flo asked. "He shouldn't be looking for work…"

"I know," Sheriff added. "Personally, I don't think he knows what he's doing."

"Really?"

"Yes. I don't know why he wants to get out there so bad. I don't know why he won't stay out East."

"Maybe he's trying to get away from his parents," Flo giggled.

Sheriff chuckled a bit. "Maybe…" His eyes grew larger. "Say…"

Flo crossed her arms. "I don't wanna hear no' stupid ideas."

"Why don't we just ask him to stay here? He's my age, we could use the extra help around here. And you know how worried Lizzie was when the doctor left. If something happens to us, we're far away from any medical assistance. Don't you think it would be a good idea to have a doctor here again? And, not to mention, good company?"

"I suppose," Flo said. "He seems like a nice enough fella; he's starting to come out of his shell. But good luck getting him to stay. Apparently, California has more in store for him."

"I think Hudson is wrong," Sheriff stated boldly. "He's got a job _here_ and he doesn't even know it; he won't need California."

"As I said, honey, good luck getting him to stay," Flo stated.

"I know, that's the hard part," Sheriff traced his finger along the rim of his coffee mug. "He needs a family. We can be that family. If we can prove that to him, I'm sure he'll stay."

"Speaking of Hudson…" Flo started, "Make sure he'll be here in time for dinner," she gestured to the other residents beginning to appear at the cafe door.

"I'll go get him now." Sheriff stood and hurried off to the Cozy Cone.

There was a loud knock on Hudson's door. "Hey! You! You're gonna miss dinner! What're you doing?!"

Hudson opened his eyes and found himself laying on his bed. _Shoot,_ he thought. _I must've fallen asleep._ "Mm-coming! I fell asleep!" He threw on some warmer clothes for the night, then opened the door. Hudson knew all too well by now, breakfast was at 8:30, dinner was at 5:30. If the residents weren't there by the scheduled time, they paid Flo for the meal. She had to make an income somehow. She banked on the young ones to sleep in or forget. Sheriff grabbed Hudson and gave him a push to get running. The young men sprinted across the street, then burst into the cafe. As the residents sat down to eat, the doors flew open. Everyone looked up in unison. All eyes were on Hudson and Sheriff. Flo stood, dusting off her hands. "Well well," she smirked playfully. "Look who decided to show up."

Hudson turned bright red. "Sorry." He said softly. He reached into his pocket, fishing for some coins.

Flo held up a hand, "Nah-ah," she stopped him. "You get one absence," she stated. "That's the rule."

Ramone made a face to his wife. "I don't remember th-…"

"-shut up," Flo interjected, then turned to Hudson. "Go on, honey. Your excuse?" She giggled.

"I went to change…then I fell asleep."

"Good enough," Flo clapped her hands together. "Now, honey, sit down and have something to eat."

Hudson joined dinner and pulled up a chair next to Sheriff.

"Boy, you should've seen today!" Mater started. "We was havin' a good time! Went to Wheel Well, then down to see all them cows! Der's a few new calves too."

"How did Wheel Well look?" Flo asked.

"Just as beautiful as ever," Mater said, "she just needs a lil' dustin' and some TLC."

Flo smiled. "Well, I'm glad it's still holding up. I bet there are animals living in there by now."

"I saw some paw prints," Hudson added. "They looked like a coyote maybe."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Sarge huffed. "Those furry devils are always causing a mess."

"Hey, hey dude," Fillmore looked at Sarge and placed a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder. "They're living beings man, just like us. Don't disrespect the wildlife. They were here before you." Fillmore grinned and Sarge rolled his eyes.

Their banter made Hudson smile. Sheriff noticed the change in expression and spoke up. "I walked into the field to see Mater _and_ Hudson running around in the grass. They were covered in dirt and mud!"

Mater talked and chewed with his mouth open. "Yah! Oh, you should've seen Doc at first, he was so scared! Weren't yah?" He nodded to Hudson across the table.

"What?" Hudson played it down. "Not really. I have bad memories of cows in the past."

"Oh…?" Sheriff smirked. "Do tell." A few residents chimed in, agreeing with Sheriff.

"No no, wasn't a big deal." Hudson played it off.

"Sugar, you mentioned it, now you have to tell!" Flo exclaimed. Everyone else agreed.

Hudson gave in and chuckled a bit. He set his fork and knife down. "When I was younger, I had a friend who lived on a small farm. She had chickens and cows. She was a daredevil and liked to poke at the cows. They'd chase her and she got a kick out of it. She made me and my friend do it. We got chased and almost got slammed into the fence. We thought we made it out safely but ended up in the mud." Hudson shrugged.

"Niiiice," Flo laughed along with the others.

"Hmph! Luigi likes no mud." Luigi shook his head, then adjusted his bowtie. "Mud gets in your shoes. Then I have to clean the mud!" Guido crossed his arms and grunted. "No mud," he said firmly.

"That's what mud does," Lizzie added. "Ah, Stanley used to make mud pits with pails of water. He would drive his Ford through the puddles. He thought the dirt made his car look stronger."

Sheriff smiled lovingly at Lizzie, then turned his attention back to Hudson. "Tell me, your friends, are they local?"

Hudson shook his head. "North and South Carolina, and Georgia. We bounced around a lot."

"I see…" Sheriff nodded. "Well, they sound like a nice group of friends."

Hudson slowed his chewing and started to zone out at something on the table. He swallowed, then cleared his throat. "Yeah. They were nice fellas…"

Sheriff gulped. He must've struck a sensitive nerve. When Mater continued to tell a story about Frank, Hudson snapped out of it and started engaging again, but Sheriff couldn't stop watching him. _What's going on, Hudson…_ Sheriff wondered to himself.

"Hey, Hudson," Ramone spoke up. "Good news. The car will be done tomorrow man," he gave him a wink.

"O-oh." Hudson had forgotten about the car for a few hours. Dinner had captivated him and the time had flown by. But it wasn't just dinner Hudson had enjoyed: it the whole day in Radiator Springs. When it suddenly dawned that Hudson was leaving tomorrow, regret stung at his heart. This was the last night.

When dinner was finished, Hudson and Sheriff helped Flo clean up the dishes and put the leftovers away. " _Now_ , don't come whining to _me_ for lunch tomorrow," Flo said. "Look. Both of you." She waved her hand in front of them. Once she got their attention, she pointed into the fridge. "Leftovers. Plenty of them. Heat them up. Delicious." She closed the fridge. "I think we're done now. Goodnight, you two." She waved them out of the cafe.

"Thanks for dinner," Sheriff waved her goodbye, then walked back to the Cozy Cone with Hudson. The neon lights shut off for the night. Only a few street lights remained under a vast sky of twinkling desert stars. "I just wanted to say," Sheriff started, "thank you for spending the day with Mater. He gets lonely sometimes. I know it meant a lot to him."

"Of course," Hudson replied, nodding at Sheriff. "He's fun to be around, and it makes me feel young again."

"You're not _that_ old, are you?" Sheriff smirked.

"Thirty-five."

"Thirty-seven," Sheriff pointed to himself.

The two arrived at the Cozy Cone room. Hudson turned around at the door. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said, extending a confident hand to Sheriff. "Thanks for today." Sheriff looked down at the hand, then back up at Hudson. He accepted the handshake with a firm, confident grip. "You're welcome," he replied optimistically. "Get some sleep, and I'll you later." He turned and began to walk to the courthouse. Hudson watched his friend go, then began to pack for the morning. _I'm leaving tomorrow,_ he thought to himself. _I'm never going to see them again._ The items seemed to become heavier and heavier as Hudson relived memories from the week. His heart sank as he thought about every moment. The muddy pants made him laugh and think about Mater. A bandage in his suitcase reminded him of Sheriff; he sure hoped his arm would heal. _What is it about this place?_ Hudson asked himself. He hadn't felt safe in years, but suddenly, Radiator Springs was a shelter: a place with open arms, full of "good-hearted folk" as Mater said. The young racer had become captivated. Maybe it was the neon lights, the cows, or Flo's fantastic food. _Or_ _maybe,_ Hudson thought, _it was the people._ Hudson found it impossible to let go. Radiator Springs held greater opportunities than California ever could. How so? It was such a small town. _The people,_ he said over and over in his head. _They're a family…_ Hudson never made a friend in over ten years of medical school. Surely it was partially his fault. However, he had only been in Radiator Springs for a few days and had made over five friends. They were a close-knit group, but always welcome for more visitors. _No,_ Hudson told himself. _You need to stop fantasizing._ He finished packing the suitcase. The heaviest item of all was a _Route 66_ keychain gifted by Lizzie. Hudson bit his lip and tucked the keychain between two socks. "No, Hudson…" He said to himself. "No more; home is waiting in California, and that's where you're going."


	17. Home

**(Hey guys! This is the final chapter for my fanfic. I plan to change some grammar in previous chapters because it was written a while ago, but I hope you enjoyed this journey and story of Doc Hudson! Thank you SO much! If you would like to keep up with me or my art, check out artsy_aviator on Instagram!)**

 **Home**

In the early morning, Hudson woke up to a bugle call: the tune of "Reveille." He knew it could be only one person, and that was Sarge. He rolled out of bed and stopped short of the packed suitcase on the floor. Hudson looked around, then noticed everything was pack. Today was the day to go home. _Oh, why did it come so quickly?_ Hudson asked. He got dressed for the day and headed into the town. Flo noticed Hudson coming to the cafe.

"Hey, sugar. Breakfast is in an hour, but Lizzie wanted to talk to you." Flo pointed across the street. "Maybe get some bumper stickers on your way out." Sheriff had talked to Lizzie in the morning. She wanted to speak to Hudson privately.

"Yes ma'am," Hudson nodded and turned for Lizzie's quaint shop. He knocked lightly, and then let himself in. "Lizzie?"

"Oh, there you are, sleepy!" Lizzie gestured him over to the counter, and Hudson followed. "I wanted to give you some bumper stickers before you left," she started making a small pile across from Hudson.

He flashed her a warm smile. "I appreciate it," he started… "You know, Lizzie, you have a wonderful town. You should be proud of yours and Stanley's work."

"I am very proud," the old woman cooed. "Mostly, I'm proud of Stanley."

"Yes," Hudson whispered softly. "Yesterday I went with Mater to the top of Wheel Well. What a sight, oh, and he told me all about the history of the town."

"Our demise?" Lizzie asked.

"I wouldn't use that strong of a word," Hudson shrugged. "You never know. Maybe Radiator Springs will make a comeback."

"That's a miracle I have prayed for every day!" Lizzie exclaimed in a hopeful tone. "But until then, we have a family here. We're still here for each other, customers or not." Lizzie looked at the young man from across the counter. She leaned on the counter, opposite of him and reached out and held Hudson's hands in hers, then stroked her wrinkled fingers against his soft palms in a comforting manner. "We have each other. That's what matters."

Hudson looked down at their intertwined hands and squeezed Lizzie's gently. "Yes, you're right."

"Do you have a family?" Lizzie asked, whispering quietly. She reminisced on the table conversation from the previous night.

Hudson continued to gaze upon their hands. "I did," he said softly. "Pa' died in the war when I was young. Ma' and my sister have been around. I was never close to them."

"Yes, that's your blood-family," Lizzie added. "But I'm not related to the residents here. Did you mention your friends down South? Anyone can become your family if you're close to them."

"I suppose you could say they were family, but I don't live out there anymore." He said. "California is my new goal."

"And what's waiting for you in California?" Lizzie asked softly. She reached out and brushed a piece of Hudson's hair away from his forehead.

Hudson paused for a long moment. He and Lizzie stayed in silence and she continued to stroke his hand.

 _"Nothing…"_ Hudson finally replied.

Lizzie let go of Hudson and stood up straight. "You know, Hudson," she turned around, heading to a small shelf mounted by her cash register. She picked a small photo off the wall and brought it back to him. "This was the doctor. He came in the thirties, looking for work, then left as soon as the town died. She pointed to a middle-aged man in the photo. "He was a part of our family. But unfortunately, money was more important. He left to go find work somewhere else. It broke our hearts."

Hudson closed his eyes, thinking about Smokey, Lou, and the rest of his friends, and how heartbroken they must have been.

Lizzie continued, "we've been trying to decide what to do with the office. It makes me nervous to think there's no doctor to help us out here. We're far from any hospital. And seeing how you helped Sheriff's arm, well, I really do appreciate it. Consider the position available to you."

Hudson kept quiet to himself and bit at his lip.

She took his hands again and squeezed them tight. "Answer me one question…what is your name? Your real name."

Hudson looked up at her and cringed. "I haven't used it in years."

"What is it?"

"It's Paul. Paul Hudson." He closed his eyes.

Lizzie smiled. "Paul. I like that name…" She paused. "Paul, I don't know what you're looking for in California, but if you need help, you are always welcome here, anytime. We will be with you no matter what happens. We support each other, we love each other, and we never let each other down."

Hudson gazed at her hands, avoiding eye contact. He nodded. "Thank you, ma'am," he said in a soft, shaky tone. When he looked up at Lizzie, his eyes misted with tears. Lizzie didn't draw any attention to it. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm just passing through."

Lizzie tilted her head and smiled. "Well, think about it for the next few hours. Let's go eat some breakfast." She made her way around the counter and stood next to Hudson. He linked his arm around hers and helped her walk down the steps, then across the street to Flo's. Lizzie loved a sweet gentleman.

As breakfast began, Sheriff took a seat next to Hudson. He noticed Hudson's quiet behavior. The residents talked, but Hudson kept to himself. Sheriff tried to strike up a few conversations, but they never lasted long.

After breakfast, Fillmore and Sarge stayed to help Flo with the dishes. Sheriff popped into the kitchen and brewed two cups of coffee. "I'll be back," he said. "I'm going to talk to Hudson before he leaves."

Sheriff met Hudson outside and handed him a cup of coffee. "Come with me," he said, walking towards the courthouse. Hudson followed behind, his coffee mug kept his hands warm in the morning. Sheriff sat down on the edge of the courthouse fountain, the trickling water created a peaceful, simple atmosphere. Hudson sat close to him and sipped his coffee. The two gazed down the road that went straight through Radiator Springs, shops lined the sides, in bright colors: pink, green, purple, and orange. Five minutes of silence passed. Sheriff finally spoke up.

"I used to live in New York," he said. "I was a sheriff, of course, just like my father and grandfather before me. It was in my blood. My family had served in Times Square, New York since the early 1900s, directing traffic. Even my aunt, two cousins on my mother's side, and little brother served."

Hudson leaned forward and turned his head to glance at Sheriff.

"I loved it when I started," Sheriff continued. "Everyone loved me, and my job was fun. As the years went on, I didn't always enjoy it. I mean, directing traffic got old after a while. I made a comment to my father, and he was appalled. How could I go against a tradition that was over forty years old? I told him, there are other ways to be a sheriff. I don't have to direct traffic. He just didn't understand. He finally told me, I should just stop, and go do what I want. However, he was a chief at this time. He said, if I wanted to go out and do something different, it wouldn't be in his police department. I was devastated." Sheriff shook his head and sighed. "I grabbed my car, scraped the police identification off the sides, and drove across the country."

Hudson remembered his bitter sobs as he scratched "The Fabulous Hudson Hornet" off the side of his beautiful, blue car in the late 1950s.

"I came here, of course, during the time, the town was booming," Sheriff looked up to the town. "I fell in love with the people and the community. I met Sarge, well, he was a World War Two veteran. We hit it off, then I met Stanley, and Lizzie, and so on. There was another sheriff here. He was old, getting ready to retire. I couldn't bring myself to leave. I talked to Stanley and Lizzie, took the position, and have never looked back."

Hudson wiped a stray tear that leaked from his eye. "Sounds like me," he said softly.

"Yeah?" Sheriff turned, waiting for Hudson to continue. Hudson's eyes began to fill with tears until he couldn't stop them from falling. He tried to wipe them away, but it wasn't fast enough. "I'm so sorry," Hudson said.

"It's okay, to grieve," Sheriff put a hand on his friend's shoulder, then looked into his eyes. "What's up, Hudson?" I

Hudson shook his head over and over, and his crying became uncontrollable. "I can't go to California," he said, sobbing. "I have nobody. I'm alone."

"I know you are," Sheriff wrapped his arms around Hudson, who was slouched over, crying into his hands. Hudson then composed himself for a moment and looked at Sheriff.

"I used to be a part of a community," Hudson said. "I had friends, we had fun, we were a family. Then, I was injured. I wasn't welcomed back. My friends didn't want our relationships to end, but I ended it anyways. I left, I left them all behind." Hudson began to sob again. "I couldn't bear to see them anymore. They reminded me of that community all too much." He shook his head, leaning into Sheriff's embrace. "I became a doctor, distracted myself for over ten years. I can't hide anymore. I can't do this."

Sheriff didn't quite know what to do, except comfort his friend. What Sheriff knew for sure, was that he and Hudson and more in common than he would have ever expected.

"That was me," Sheriff said."That's why I never left. I felt at home here. There was more for me here, more than what I would've found elsewhere."

"I need that," Hudson admitted. "I can't live in California if I'm alone. I can't do it anymore."

"There's more for you here," Sheriff said softly, "more than money, or success, or anything California could offer. Here, you have a family that will always be here for you, and never let you down."

Hudson wiped his eyes, speaking shakily. "That's what Lizzie said."

"That's because it's the truth." Sheriff shook his head, "Look, Hud, you don't have to stay forever, but stay for now. You've got a place to work, and some good folk, who care about each other, and care about you."

"Nobody has cared in over thirteen years," Hudson said softly. He quieted his sobs, and Sheriff sat quietly with him.

"I want to stay here," Hudson whispered as he leaned on Sheriff. His new friend held him close and nodded. "I'll let Ramone know the car is here to stay?" He asked.

Hudson nodded. "Yes, for now."

Sheriff stayed with Hudson for a few moments, then stood and helped his friend up.  
"Come on, leave your coffee here, let's go see Lizzie." Sheriff walked Hudson back into the souvenir shop, where the other residents had gathered, talking about Hudson and his future.

When Sheriff stepped inside, he put a finger over his lips, warning his fellow residents to keep their voices down. Hudson was overwhelmed by the fact that everyone was inside.

"We talked," Sheriff announced. "Hudson's going to stay with us for a while, get back up on his feet. And I know none of you have objections to that."

"Woo!" Mater ran over to Hudson and gave him a hug. A few others circled around, patting Hudson's shoulder or adding reassuring comments. Hudson began to cry again but accepted the embrace. He held Mater tightly, then Mater traded off Hudson to Lizzie. She kissed his cheek and held him close to her, wiping away his stray tears. Hudson thought about his mother, and how Lizzie resembled her so closely. He couldn't let the little old woman go.

"Hey, we got a doctor now!" Sheriff attempted to lighten the mood and gave Hudson a little shake. The doctor smiled, and gave Sheriff a playful push, then wiped his remaining tears. "You sure do," he chuckled. Hudson took a step back and looked at everyone. "Thank you, all of you. I'm proud to call you my friends."

"—family." Lizzie corrected with a wink.

Hudson grinned. "Yes, family."

 _2007-_

"—That's how you ended up here?" Lightning McQueen asked, then kicked his feet up on an extra chair. The residents were circled around a large table outside of Flo's diner, the night sky twinkling with Flo's pink and green neon. The town, busy, but quiet for the night, was the only time the residents had to gather and keep their dinner tradition alive. Ever since young Lightning's arrival, the town was back to its old heyday.

"That's right," Doc said, looking at his young friend. "In just a few short days, they had done so much for me. They needed a doctor, and I needed a family. I wanted to give back to them, just like they had done to me."

"Fascinating," Lightning said. "So you and Sheriff came from a similar background, but he never knew you were a racer?"

Sheriff chimed in, still sporting his mustache, but now grey from age. "He told me he was part of a 'community,'" he chuckled. "I didn't know his name was Paul until he had been with us for around a year! Lizzie knew…" Sheriff smirked. "The rest came in time."

"A long time," Lightning added. "You all found out only a year ago…wonder what other secrets you're hiding from us…"

Doc crossed his arms and shook his head. "Ha, nothing. If I am, well, I've probably forgotten." The residents laughed.

Sheriff chimed in, "you know, when you first told me you were going to stay, you said 'Yes, for now.'"

Hudson scoffed, "psh, for now…I guess I decided to stay forever."

"Was it worth it?" Lightning asked.

"Oh, yes," Hudson said. "It was worth it. It was worth everything."


End file.
